1. In a computing system having a processor and system memory and which is configured to receive and analyze data relating to the areal displacement efficiency (E A ), vertical displacement efficiency (E I ), and pore displacement efficiency (E D ) of a petroleum reservoir, a method for determining a recovery deficiency indicator (RDI) for a petroleum reservoir, comprising: inputting into the computing system data relating to the areal displacement efficiency (E A ) of the petroleum reservoir; inputting into the computing system data relating to the vertical displacement efficiency (E I ) of the petroleum reservoir; inputting into the computing system data relating to the pore displacement efficiency (E D ) of the petroleum reservoir; the computing system determining, by relating together the areal displacement efficiency (E A ), vertical displacement efficiency (E I ), and pore displacement efficiency (E D ), a recovery efficiency (RE) of the petroleum reservoir; the computing system determining, based on at least the pore displacement efficiency (E D ), an ideal recovery efficiency (IRE) of the petroleum reservoir; and the computing system determining, by relating the recovery efficiency (RE) with the ideal recovery efficiency (IRE), the recovery deficiency indicator (RDI) for the petroleum reservoir.