| abstract |
A method for enhanced oil recovery from a low permeability diatomaceous reservoir by imbibition is described. In this method, oil is displaced from the reservoir with a horizontal wellbore by a combination of applied fluid pressure, plus "enhanced imbibition." Enhanced imbibition is accomplished by adding chemical additives, water, or brine to an injection fluid so that rock in the tight diatomaceous reservoir has a stronger affinity for the water present therein, thus releasing oil from the rock. The method is either continuous or cyclic. |