Experimental studies of in-situ microbial enhanced oil recovery

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6471452

Jenneman, G E; Knapp, R M; McInerney, M J; Menzie, D E; Revus, D E

The goal of this research is to study the feasibility of using microorganisms in the enhanced recovery of oil. The use of microorganisms requires the ability to transport viable cells as well as the nutrients necessary for cell growth through reservoir formations. Glucose, peptone-protein, and phosphate and ammonium ions were transported through brine saturated Berea sandstone cores in amounts sufficient to support cell growth. Viable bacterial cells have been transported through sandstone cores of 170-490 md permeabilities. The addition of nutrients to these cores and subsequent cell growth caused permeability reductions of 60-80%. In addition, a microorganism has been obtained which during growth produces a surfactant that lowers the surface tension of 5% NaCl brine to 27 mN/m and the interfacial tension against crude oil to less than 1.0 mN/m. 17 refs.

• Research Organization: Univ of Okla, USA
• OSTI ID: 6471452
• Report Number(s): CONF-820419-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Journal Volume: SPE/DOE 10789
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
BRINES
DRILL CORES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MICROBIAL EOR
MICROORGANISMS
NUTRIENTS
OIL WELLS
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SURFACE TENSION
SURFACTANTS
WELLS