Producers have been playing with a variety of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques for decades and for good reason. Primary production results in recovery of just a fifth of the original oil in place and EOR can lift this recovery factor to nearly 70% in some cases. In the past, waves of interest would make a splash when oil prices spike, but it repeatedly calms when oil prices drop to more reasonable levels. Despite its potential, the truth is that EOR costs more money, and low oil prices have prevented its widespread adoption. With oil prices hovering around $100/b again, the spotlight has returned to EOR.

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