A study of the interactions between microorganisms, microbial by- products, and oil-bearing formation materials
The overall purpose of this project was to develop information on the microflora indigenous to subterranean oil reservoirs, with special emphasis on their potential role in microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). In regard to the microbial residents of subterranean oil reservoirs, it was learned that: significant numbers of microorganisms were present in all 5 reservoirs examined (ranging in depth from 805-14,492 ft) each reservoir had a somewhat distinctive microflora of the 37 pure culture isolates examined, all grew anaerobically and produce one or more products of potential value to MEOR - gas, acid, emulsifiers, polymers, solvents microbial isolates would colonize stratal materials (limestone, sandstone, clay shale) and their growth in sandpacks caused alterations in the flow of water through the sandpack none of the reservoirs contained sulfatereducing microorganisms ultramicrobacteria were present in one reservoir. The results of this investigation support the concept that microorganisms indigenous to subterranean oil reservoirs are valuable to enhancing oil recovery. Toward this end, studies were conducted to test this concept under the most realistic conditions possible in the laboratory. Specifically, cores from oil reservoirs were employed in core flood experiments. By so doing, the microorganisms, formation materials, oil, and water were in as close to their natural state as possible.
- Research Organization:
- Mississippi State Univ., MS (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC22-90BC14665
- OSTI ID:
- 6757284
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/BC/14665-8; ON: DE93000109
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
550700 -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
BACTERIA
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
CELL CULTURES
CULTURE MEDIA
DATA
DOCUMENT TYPES
DRILL CORES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS ANALYSIS
INFORMATION
MICROBIAL EOR
MICROORGANISMS
NUMERICAL DATA
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
PROGRESS REPORT
WELLS