microbial flooding

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Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery

T. Santhoshini Priya

PP 9024

Enhanced Oil Recovery

MEOR


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MEOR

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) is the use of

microbes in petroleum reservoirs to enhance the amount of oil

that can be produced.

The microbes in MEOR are typically hydrocarbon-utilising,

non-pathogenic micro-organisms that are naturally found in

petroleum reservoirs or are introduced.

As a result of their metabolic activity, the microbes excrete

natural and non-toxic bio-products such as alcohols, gases,

acids, surfactants and polymers.

MEOR


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MICROBIAL ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY (MEOR)

Average size of microbe is one micron, 10,000thof cm. More than 27,000 species of bacteria have

been identified.

The bacteria, which can be mobile or non-mobile, have three basic shapes: round (coccus),rod (bacillus) and spiral (spirillum).

Microbes are the most primitive earth's singlecelled organisms.

Their basic role in life is to recycle thecomponents of living organisms, convertingthem to the nutrient chemicals used by plants in

photosynthesis & chemosynthesis.

Shape of Microbes

MEOR


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MICROORGANISMS

The term microorganisms encompasses five major group of

organisms.

1. Viruses

2. Fungi3. Algae

4. Protozoa and

5. bacteria

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MICROORGANISMS

Second division of micro organism is the eukaryotic

microbes which includes fungi , algae and protozoa.

The third division of micro organisms that can be

distinguished by its physical characteristics is the prokaryotes

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Bacteria

Bacteria have two distinguished structural features that are:

A rigid cell wall that determines the shape of the organism,

which may be either cylindrical or spherical and those that are

mobile that possess flagella which are responsible for their

movement.

Difference in the cell walls of the bacteria furnish the basis for

classification into two broad groups : gram positive and gram

negative bacter ia.

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GRAM STAIN TEST METHOD

MEOR


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KEY MECHANISMS FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY IN MEOR

Porosity and permeability modification

Wettability alteration

oil solubilisation

emulsification

interfacial forces alteration

lowering oil mobility ratio

microbial metabolic pathways alteration by sodium bicarbonate

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MICROBIAL PRODUCTS, THEIR ROLE IN ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY, AND

SOME OF THE EFFECTS TO SOLVE PRODUCTION PROBLEM

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ADVANTAGES OF MEOR TECHNOLOGIES

The injected bacteria and nutrient are inexpensive and easy to

obtain and handle in the field.

Economically attractive for marginally producing oil fields;

a suitable alternative before the abandonment of marginal

wells.

According to a statistical evaluation (1995 in U.S.), 81% of

all MEOR projects demonstrated a positive incremental

increase in oil production and no decrease in oil production

as a result of MEOR processes.

The implementation of the process needs only minor

modifications of the existing field facilities.

It is less expensive to install and more easily applied than

another EOR method. MEOR


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ADVANTAGES OF MEOR TECHNOLOGIES

The costs of the injected fluids are not dependent on oil prices.

MEOR processes are particularly suited for carbonate oil

reservoirs where some EOR technologies cannot be applied with

good efficiency.

The effects of bacterial activity within the reservoir are magnified

by their growth whole, while in EOR technologies the effects of

the additives tend to decrease with time and distance.

MEOR products are all biodegradable and will not be

accumulated in the environment, so environmentally friendly.

MEOR


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LIMITING FACTORS - MEOR

High salinity

High temperature

High pressure in oil reservoirs

pH

Pore geometry

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MEOR APPLICATIONS IN ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION

Some of the research prior to these MEOR projects were

successful in the field of hydrocarbon-polluted environmental

sites.

Thus, the use of bio - surfactants in pipeline heavy oil as an oil

in water emulsion and cleaning out tank sludges, the use of

bacterial cells as de-emulsifiers, desulfurization, and

production of biopolymers is an effect of using products and

processes arising from MEOR into other applications.

MEOR

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