Starting up microbial enhanced oil recovery

Area of Science:

• Petroleum Engineering
• Microbiology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) offers promising approaches for increasing oil production.
• Key MEOR strategies include microbial conversion of oil to natural gas and in situ biosurfactant production.
• Understanding oilfield microbiology is crucial for both in situ and injected microbial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a practical introduction to MEOR technologies for decision-makers.
• To offer scientific background and laboratory guidance for implementing microbiological experiments.
• To assess the economic feasibility and guide the selection of appropriate MEOR strategies.

Main Methods:

• Focus on microbial conversion of residual oil to methane and in situ biosurfactant production.
• Introduction to oilfield microbiology, covering in situ microorganisms and injected cultures.
• Description of essential scientific equipment and laboratory setup for MEOR.

Main Results:

• MEOR can displace unrecoverable oil (OIP) through microbial action.
• Conversion of oil to natural gas and biosurfactant production are identified as highly promising MEOR approaches.
• Economic assessment is provided to help evaluate the profitability of MEOR investments.

Conclusions:

• This chapter facilitates informed decisions regarding the adoption of MEOR activities.
• Provides updated literature for experienced researchers and operators, and foundational knowledge for students and technicians.
• Highlights the importance of characterizing microbial communities using culturing, molecular biology, and interfacial tension measurements.