Soundwaves may help increase future oil production

Apr 13, 2006, 16:09 GMT

Oslo - Low frequency sound waves may in future be used to recover leftover oil from oil wells on the Norwegian continental shelf, reports said Thursday.

Oil is currently extracted by pumping sea water down into one well to replace oil pumped up to the surface of another well. Initially, mostly oil is pumped to the surface, eventually more sea water is pumped up and the well is declared 'empty.'

Estimates however suggest that the well still contains some 30-40 per cent of its oil.

Researchers at the physics department at Oslo University hope that by using low frequency waves along with the sea water, more oil may be extracted.

'From stationary sources, like oil wells, the pressure from a sound wave will diminish slower over distance compared to a water pump. Sound waves have a longer range and greater effect,' physics professor Eirik Grude Flekkoy told the online site forskning.no.

The sound waves sent down into the wells can be compared to putting down a foot. That creates a shockwave and several aftershocks. Earthquakes can trigger similar effects.

The sound waves are believed to affect oil-bearing strata, and may dislodge oil drops that form larger drops that flow into streams and can be extracted.

The Journal of Petroleum Technology citing other research has reported that oil production could increase by some 40 per cent with the method.

In Norway that would equal some 60 million barrels of oil a year, or some 25 billion kroner (3.8 billion dollars) at current prices, the website said.

Flekkoy said researchers will need to conduct simulations and develop models to try out the theory.