Occurence of sulfate- and iron-reducing bacteria in stratal waters of the Romashkinskoe oil field
- Institute of Microbiology, Moscow (Russian Federation)
The occurrence of microorganisms and the rates of terminal biogenic processes-sulfate reduction and methane synthesis-were studied in stratial waters in bed 302 of the Bashkir Carboniferous deposit at the Romashkinskoe oil field. It was shown that bed 302 was a dynamic, highly reduced ecosystem containing sulfates and hydrogen sulfide in considerable concentrations, in which active biogenic processes occurred. Sulfate reduction was a dominating anaerobic process by which the transformation of organic matter occurred. The sulfate-reducing microflora was diverse and characterized by a wide range of metabolic potentials. Enrichment cultures capable of oxidizing many organic substances, such as benzoate, acetate, ethanol, or lactate, at the expense of reduction of sulfates and ferric ion were isolated from 302. It was suggested that the sulfate-reducing microflora might be responsible not only for sulfate reduction in the stratum but also for mobilization of some insoluble iron oxides in the oil-bearing rock. These findings indicate that bacteria carrying out dissimilatory reduction of sulfate and iron can contribute to the geochemistry of organic and mineral compounds in subsurface ecosystems. 24 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.
- OSTI ID:
- 79294
- Journal Information:
- Microbiology (New York), Journal Name: Microbiology (New York) Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 64; ISSN 0026-2617; ISSN MIBLAO
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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