Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is the implementation of various techniques for increasing the amount of crude oil that can be extracted from an oil field. According to the US Department of Energy, there are three primary techniques for EOR: thermal recovery, gas injection, and chemical injection. Using EOR, 30 to 60 percent, or more, of the reservoir's original oil can be extracted.

The steam flooding technique

In this approach, various methods are used to heat the crude oil in the formation to reduce its viscosity and/or vaporize part of the oil and thus decrease the mobility ratio. The increased heat reduces the surface tension and increases the permeability of the oil. The heated oil may also vaporize and then condense forming improved oil. Methods include cyclic steam injection, steam flooding and combustion. These methods improve the sweep efficiency and the displacement efficiency. 

Solar EOR is a form of steam flooding that uses solar arrays to concentrate the sun’s energy to heat water and generate steam. Solar EOR is proving to be a viable alternative to gas-fired steam production for the oil industry.

Ultra Lite would be ideal for heat injection into think oil deposits, reducing its viscosity and enhancing extraction at reduced cost.