1. n. [Enhanced Oil Recovery]
A general term for injection processes that introduce miscible gases into the reservoir. A miscible displacement process maintains reservoir pressure and improves oil displacement because the interfacial tension between oil and water is reduced. The effect of gas injection is similar to that of a solution gasdrive. Miscible displacement is a major branch of enhanced oil recovery processes. Injected gases include liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), such as propane, methane under high pressure, methane enriched with light hydrocarbons, nitrogen under high pressure, and carbon dioxide [CO2] under suitable reservoir conditions of temperature and pressure. The fluid most commonly used for miscible displacement is carbon dioxide because it reduces the oil viscosity and is less expensive than liquefied petroleum gas. Miscible displacement is also called miscible gasdrive, miscible drive or miscible flood.
See: chemical flooding, gas injection, liquefied petroleum gas, miscible, reservoir pressure, thermal recovery