Illinois Basin Applications Demonstrating Potential of ASP EOR Technology

The Lawrence Field in the Illinois Basin has produced in excess of 410 million barrels of oil since 1906, through primary and secondary waterflood techniques. Today, the field is producing at less than 2 percent oil cut, and like many mature fields in the U.S., is approaching its economic limit, even though there is much remaining recoverable oil. Reservoir characterization research at the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory under a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy is supporting pilot and expansion areas for implementing alkaline-surfactant-polymer (ASP) floods in two distinct sandstone reservoirs in the Lawrence Field. As operator of the field, Rex Energy Corporation has committed resources to implement ASP floods in the field, and the research conducted by the ISGS is intended to optimize the opportunity for success of this project. Rex Energy owns and operates 21.2 square miles in the Lawrence Field, and its properties account for 85 percent of the field's total gross production.