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Study on the Performance of a Novel Microbial-Assisted Chemical Viscosity Reduction Technology for Enhancing Heavy
Fan Zhang1, Qun Zhang1, Zhaohui Zhou1
1Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 14, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a novel microbial-assisted chemical viscosity reducer that significantly lowers heavy oil viscosity by over 85%. This technology enhances oil recovery (EOR) by 22-26% in high-viscosity reservoirs.
Area of Science:
- Petroleum Engineering
- Microbiology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- High-viscosity reservoirs contain abundant reserves but suffer from low recovery rates due to high resin and asphaltene content.
- Conventional chemical flooding is ineffective for these reservoirs, and existing viscosity reduction technologies have limitations in efficiency and economic feasibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) performance of a novel microbial-assisted chemical viscosity reducer.
- To elucidate the mechanisms behind its effectiveness in high-viscosity crude oils.
Main Methods:
- Systematic evaluation of microbial-assisted chemical viscosity reducer performance on various crude oil samples.
- Analysis of viscosity reduction rates, wettability alteration, oil film stripping, and oil-water interfacial tension.
- Investigation of microbial degradation of asphaltenes and metabolite contributions to emulsion stability.
Main Results:
- Achieved over 85% viscosity reduction across five crude oil samples.
- Improved oil film stripping rate by 50-65% compared to chemical agents alone.
- Reduced oil-water interfacial tension to 10-3 mN/m, resulting in 22-26% EOR enhancement.
Conclusions:
- Microbial degradation of asphaltenes by viscosity-reducing bacteria weakens intermolecular forces in heavy oil.
- Metabolites enhance emulsion stability, complementing the chemical viscosity reduction process.
- This synergistic approach offers an effective new EOR strategy for high-viscosity reservoirs.
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