Preparing near-surface heavy oil for extraction using microbial degradation
In one embodiment, the invention provides a system including at least one computing device for enhancing the recovery of heavy oil in an underground, near-surface crude oil extraction environment by performing a method comprising sampling and identifying microbial species (bacteria and/or fungi) that reside in the underground, near-surface crude oil extraction environment; collecting rock and fluid property data from the underground, near-surface crude oil extraction environment; collecting nutrient data from the underground, near-surface crude oil extraction environment; identifying a preferred microbial species from the underground, near-surface crude oil extraction environment that can transform the heavy oil into a lighter oil; identifying a nutrient from the underground, near-surface crude oil extraction environment that promotes a proliferation of the preferred microbial species; and introducing the nutrient into the underground, near-surface crude oil extraction environment.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC0576RL01830
- Assignee:
- International Business Machines Corporation
- Patent Number(s):
- 9,664,010
- Application Number:
- 12/973,766
- OSTI ID:
- 1360950
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2010 Dec 20
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Changes in the mutagenicity of petroleum products undergoing bioremediation
Effects of microbial activity on aquatic pollutants