New secret to increasing oil production revealed; Iran turns to injecting low-salt water

According to Energy Press, Saeed Saviz, an energy expert, said in an interview with this media outlet about the situation of Iran’s oil fields: “The life of many of the country’s oil fields has reached its second half. The fundamental question is how the government can both guarantee production maintenance and move towards increasing production. This issue goes beyond governments and concerns the oil industry, because the industry must have a plan for the future of its reservoirs.
He explained: “When the reservoir is in the initial stage or so-called greenfield, each new well can even increase production. But in the second half of the field’s life, production gradually declines; for example, daily production decreases from 2,000 barrels to 1,800 or 1,700. The reality is that many of Iran’s large reservoirs are in such conditions today.”
Saviz added: “The first scientific solution to compensate for the decline in production is to drill new wells, but this measure alone is not enough. Methods of increasing extraction are also used in the world; In simple terms, it means injecting substances such as gas or water into the reservoir to increase production. Of course, on the scale of Iran’s gigantic reservoirs, the use of chemicals is not very practical, and the two main scenarios are gas and water injection.
Referring to international experiences, this energy expert said: One of the most efficient options for carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East is water injection. Of course, this water must have certain characteristics. Now that the issue of drought and water shortage is very serious, it should be emphasized that the injected water does not mean drinking water or vital resources. This water can be runoff, salt water, or even seawater that is used after carrying out certain processes. According to studies, the best option is to inject low-saline water; for example, the salinity of the Persian Gulf is about 40,000 PPM, but the water suitable for injection should be in the range of 10 to 15,000 PPM.