skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Improvement of Carbon Dioxide Sweep Efficiency by Utilization of Microbial Permeability Profile Modification to Reduce the Amount of Oil Bypassed During Carbon Dioxide Flood

Abstract

The objective of this project was to couple microbial permeability profile modification (MPPM), with carbon dioxide flooding to improve oil recovery from the Upper Cretaceous Little Creek Oil Field situated in Lincoln and Pike counties, MS. This study determined that MPPM technology, which improves production by utilizing environmentally friendly nutrient solutions to simulate the growth of the indigenous microflora in the most permeable zones of the reservoir thus diverting production to less permeable, previously unswept zones, increased oil production without interfering with the carbon dioxide flooding operation. Laboratory tests determined that no microorganisms were produced in formation waters, but were present in cores. Perhaps the single most significant contribution of this study is the demonstration that microorganisms are active at a formation temperature of 115°C (239°F) by using a specially designed culturing device. Laboratory tests were employed to simulate the MPPM process by demonstrating that microorganisms could be activated with the resulting production of oil in coreflood tests performed in the presence of carbon dioxide at 66°C (the highest temperature that could be employed in the coreflood facility). Geological assessment determined significant heterogeneity in the Eutaw Formation, and documented relatively thin, variably-lithified, well-laminated sandstone interbedded with heavily-bioturbated, clay-rich sandstone andmore » shale. Live core samples of the Upper Cretaceous Eutaw Formation from the Heidelberg Field, MS were quantitatively assessed using SEM, and showed that during MPPM permeability modification occurs ubiquitously within pore and throat spaces of 10-20 μm diameter. Testing of the MPPM procedure in the Little Creek Field showed a significant increase in production occurred in two of the five production test wells; furthermore, the decline curve in each of the production wells became noticeably less steep. This project greatly extends the number of oil fields in which MPPM can be implemented.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State, MS (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State, MS (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1013260
DOE Contract Number:  
FC26-05NT15458
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; CARBON DIOXIDE; EXPLORATORY WELLS; FLOODS; INTERSTITIAL WATER; MICROORGANISMS; MODIFICATIONS; NUTRIENTS; OIL FIELDS; PERMEABILITY; PRODUCTION; SANDSTONES; STREAMS; SWEEP EFFICIENCY; TESTING; Oil/Gas Reservoir Life Extension

Citation Formats

Schmitz, Darrel, Brown, Lewis, Lynch, F. Leo, Kirkland, Brenda L., Collins, Krystal M., and Funderburk, William K. Improvement of Carbon Dioxide Sweep Efficiency by Utilization of Microbial Permeability Profile Modification to Reduce the Amount of Oil Bypassed During Carbon Dioxide Flood. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.2172/1013260.
Schmitz, Darrel, Brown, Lewis, Lynch, F. Leo, Kirkland, Brenda L., Collins, Krystal M., & Funderburk, William K. Improvement of Carbon Dioxide Sweep Efficiency by Utilization of Microbial Permeability Profile Modification to Reduce the Amount of Oil Bypassed During Carbon Dioxide Flood. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1013260
Schmitz, Darrel, Brown, Lewis, Lynch, F. Leo, Kirkland, Brenda L., Collins, Krystal M., and Funderburk, William K. 2010. "Improvement of Carbon Dioxide Sweep Efficiency by Utilization of Microbial Permeability Profile Modification to Reduce the Amount of Oil Bypassed During Carbon Dioxide Flood". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1013260. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1013260.
@article{osti_1013260,
title = {Improvement of Carbon Dioxide Sweep Efficiency by Utilization of Microbial Permeability Profile Modification to Reduce the Amount of Oil Bypassed During Carbon Dioxide Flood},
author = {Schmitz, Darrel and Brown, Lewis and Lynch, F. Leo and Kirkland, Brenda L. and Collins, Krystal M. and Funderburk, William K.},
abstractNote = {The objective of this project was to couple microbial permeability profile modification (MPPM), with carbon dioxide flooding to improve oil recovery from the Upper Cretaceous Little Creek Oil Field situated in Lincoln and Pike counties, MS. This study determined that MPPM technology, which improves production by utilizing environmentally friendly nutrient solutions to simulate the growth of the indigenous microflora in the most permeable zones of the reservoir thus diverting production to less permeable, previously unswept zones, increased oil production without interfering with the carbon dioxide flooding operation. Laboratory tests determined that no microorganisms were produced in formation waters, but were present in cores. Perhaps the single most significant contribution of this study is the demonstration that microorganisms are active at a formation temperature of 115°C (239°F) by using a specially designed culturing device. Laboratory tests were employed to simulate the MPPM process by demonstrating that microorganisms could be activated with the resulting production of oil in coreflood tests performed in the presence of carbon dioxide at 66°C (the highest temperature that could be employed in the coreflood facility). Geological assessment determined significant heterogeneity in the Eutaw Formation, and documented relatively thin, variably-lithified, well-laminated sandstone interbedded with heavily-bioturbated, clay-rich sandstone and shale. Live core samples of the Upper Cretaceous Eutaw Formation from the Heidelberg Field, MS were quantitatively assessed using SEM, and showed that during MPPM permeability modification occurs ubiquitously within pore and throat spaces of 10-20 μm diameter. Testing of the MPPM procedure in the Little Creek Field showed a significant increase in production occurred in two of the five production test wells; furthermore, the decline curve in each of the production wells became noticeably less steep. This project greatly extends the number of oil fields in which MPPM can be implemented.},
doi = {10.2172/1013260},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1013260}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2010},
month = {Fri Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2010}
}