Where does Ferus’ CO2 come from? from Communications at Ferus on Vimeo.
As our Production Manager Dean explains, Ferus helps to manage man-made GHG emissions by recovering CO2 from high emitting industrial sources, such as fertilizer and gas plants. The CO2 emissions would normally be vented into the atmosphere, but Ferus captures, cleans up, and purifies the CO2 stream, then cools the gas into a liquid state where its density is increased and it is more easily transported.
CO2 for oilfield use is normally >99.95% CO2 with some trace hydrocarbon impurities. 100 per cent of the CO2 Ferus captures in Alberta is for oilfield use.
It’s pumped as a liquid. Once it reaches the reservoir, it becomes a supercritical fluid due to down-hole conditions. This phase change results in a significant increase in fluid volume and further extends fractures. Moreover, CO2 buffers fluids to a pH of 3.2, which helps break polymers and eliminate clay swelling in water sensitive formations.
Adding CO2 buffers clays.
Adding CO2 reduces pH so less clay swelling.
CO2 displaces water.
CO2 results in better flow-back.