Major oil companies are investing in research to find new ways of extracting oil from shale wells using enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology. The technology involves drilling a hole into the ground and then injecting water or chemicals that dissolve rock layers containing oil. Rival oil companies are reported to be working hard on identifying how EOG has used the technology so effectively, and how it might be used to improve output at their own facilities.
Major oil companies are investing in research to find new ways of extracting oil from shale wells using enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology. The possibilities have come under scrutiny since US oil company EOG Resources announced it had used gas injection techniques to increase the amount of oil produced from Eagle Ford shale wells by between 30% and 70%. Rival oil companies are reported to be working hard on identifying how EOG has used the technology so effectively, and how it might be used to improve output at their own facilities.