Environmental‐economic analysis of CCUS in a mature carbonate reservoir for oilfield decarbonization

Abstract To comply with increasingly stringent net‐zero carbon regulations, the oil industry must implement innovative technologies that enable energy market competitiveness while achieving decarbonization targets. Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) has emerged as a practical transitional strategy, particularly when integrated with CO 2 ‐enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in mature oilfields with large flaring volumes. This integration offers dual financial and environmental benefits, especially in the regions where CCS policies remain underdeveloped. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of a CCUS implementation in a mature carbonate oilfield characterized by large‐scale flaring and declining reservoir productivity. A synergistic review of CO 2 capture and separation methods is combined with a tailored EOR‐screening framework to assess capture‐injection compatibility. A detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) quantifies emissions, including those from flaring, capture, compression, injection, and indirect electricity use, while a carbon resilience cash‐flow model analyzes environmental‐economic performance over a 10‐year project horizon under base, stress, and optimistic scenarios. Environmental analysis indicates that approximately 0.4 million tCO 2 can be captured from flare gas annually, yielding an average annual reduction of 0.046 million tCO 2 e in global warming potential. The project demonstrates internal rates of return (IRR) ranging from 2.8% to 4.4%, depending on oil price, flare tax incentives, and capture cost assumptions. The study also highlights critical challenges, including CO 2 ‐induced asphaltene precipitation, well integrity risks, and the need for integrated infrastructure. Overall, the findings confirm the dual benefit of CCUS for emissions mitigation and enhanced oil recovery, offering a scalable model for flare reduction applicable to other mature fields.