Enhanced oil recovery and applied geoscience research program. [Quarterly] report, July 1--September 30, 1992

Technical Report · Thu Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:10128623

Thomas, C P

The objectives of this research program are to develop microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) systems for application to reservoirs containing medium to heavy oils and to evaluate reservoir wettability and its effects on oil recovery. The MEOR research goals include: (a) the development of bacterial cultures that are effective for oil displacement under a broad range of reservoir conditions; (b) improved understanding of the mechanisms by which microbial systems displace oil under reservoir conditions; (c) determination of the feasibility of combining microbial systems with or following conventional enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes, such as miscible and immiscible gas flooding, polymer and chemical flooding, and thermal methods; (d) development of an MEOR field process design; and (e) implementation of an industry cost-shared field demonstration project. The goals of the reservoir wettability project are to develop: (a) a better methods for assessment of reservoir core wettability, (b) more certainty in relating laboratory core analysis procedures to fields conditions; (c) a better understanding of the effects of reservoir matrix properties and heterogeneity on wettability, and (d) improved ability to predict and influence EOR response through control of wettability in reservoirs. The focus of this report is a comparative analysis of potentially useful surfactants produced by Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis growing on various sources of carbohydrates. Historically, molasses has been the feedstock of choice for the in situ production of biosurfactants. We propose utilizing alternative carbon substrates (i.e., processing wastes from the agricultural industry) as replacements for molasses. These wastes are currently disposed of at a cost and may be employed as viable feedstocks for the production of biosurfactants.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 10128623
• Report Number(s): DOE/ID/01570--T162; ON: DE93008633
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
BACILLUS LICHENIFORMIS
BACILLUS SUBTILIS
BIOSYNTHESIS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CULTURE MEDIA
DRILLING AND PRODUCTION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FRUCTOSE
GLYCEROL
GROWTH
MICROBIAL EOR
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
PROGRESS REPORT
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SACCHAROSE
STARCH
SURFACTANTS
VISCOSITY
YEASTS