Petroleum Industry uses of Petroleum Industry uses of Bactria: Bactria:

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR)(MEOR)

Adel SharifAdel Sharif

University of Surrey University of Surrey

a.sharif@surrey.ac.uka.sharif@surrey.ac.uk

Industrial Uses of Bacteria 19 May 2010, IOM3, London, UK

Petroleum MicrobiologyPetroleum Microbiology

MICROBIAL TREATMENT OF PETROLEUM WASTEMICROBIAL TREATMENT OF PETROLEUM WASTE Treatment of Contaminated Soils and Sludges Treatment of Contaminated Soils and Sludges 

Factors affecting bioremediation.Factors affecting bioremediation.

Biofiltration of Volatile Organic CompoundsBiofiltration of Volatile Organic Compounds Removal of HRemoval of H2S and SOS and SOXX

MICROBIAL PROCESSES FOR RECOVERING AND MICROBIAL PROCESSES FOR RECOVERING AND UPGRADING PETROLEUMUPGRADING PETROLEUM Microbial Enhanced Oil RecoveryMicrobial Enhanced Oil Recovery Microbial DeemulsificationMicrobial Deemulsification Microbial DesulfurizationMicrobial Desulfurization          Microbial DenitrogenationMicrobial Denitrogenation Enzymatic Upgrading of Petroleum Fractions and Pure Enzymatic Upgrading of Petroleum Fractions and Pure

HydrocarbonsHydrocarbons

BACTERIAL BIOSENSORS BACTERIAL BIOSENSORS

Oil formationOil formation

Oil Recovery MethodsOil Recovery Methods

Primary (natural reservoir energy)Primary (natural reservoir energy) (15-20%)(15-20%)

- Solution Gas Drive (depletion).- Solution Gas Drive (depletion).

- Gas Cap Drive.- Gas Cap Drive.

- Natural water Drive.- Natural water Drive.

Secondary oil Recovery methodSecondary oil Recovery method (30-35%)(30-35%)

- Water Injection.- Water Injection.- Gas Injection.- Gas Injection.- WAG method.- WAG method.

Tertiary Oil Recovery methodTertiary Oil Recovery method (30-50%) (30-50%)

- Thermal Injection (steam).- Thermal Injection (steam).

- Chemical Injection (Polymer).- Chemical Injection (Polymer).

During primary stage only 15-20% oil can During primary stage only 15-20% oil can be recovered naturally.be recovered naturally.

Another 15-25% can be recovered during Another 15-25% can be recovered during the secondary stage through water the secondary stage through water injection.injection.

Tertiary stage (of steam injection) is too Tertiary stage (of steam injection) is too expensive to be used.expensive to be used.

Hence, nearly 50% of the oil still needs to Hence, nearly 50% of the oil still needs to be recovered.be recovered.

Oil Recovery TechniquesOil Recovery Techniques

What is the solution?What is the solution? MEOR!MEOR! MEOR is a process in which micro-MEOR is a process in which micro-

organisms are used to produce organisms are used to produce surfactants, acids, and/or gases using surfactants, acids, and/or gases using growth substrates from the fossil fuel, to growth substrates from the fossil fuel, to enhance the oil recovery.enhance the oil recovery.

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) (MEOR)

Schematic Diagram of MEORSchematic Diagram of MEOR

MEOR Microorganisms produceMEOR Microorganisms produce BiosurfactantsBiosurfactants which decrease the oil viscosity which decrease the oil viscosity

to increase oil flow.to increase oil flow. AcidsAcids which increase the rock porosity and which increase the rock porosity and

hence oil flow.hence oil flow. GasesGases to increase the pressure in the reservoir to increase the pressure in the reservoir

and improve oil recovery.and improve oil recovery. ExopolymersExopolymers and and biomassbiomass to block the thief to block the thief

zones.zones.

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) (MEOR)

MEOR MechanismMEOR Mechanism

Developing an MEOR technology, to be implemented in the oil fields to recover the oil during the secondary/tertiary stage.

Isolating suitable microorganisms from the samples taken from the oil reservoirs.

Isolating microorganisms producing biosurfactants and/or organic acids, polymers, gases and using hydrocarbons under low water activity.

Isolating microorganisms producing the above chemicals under reservoir conditions from hydrocarbons or cheap feedstocks.

To genetically or physiologically manipulate useful microorganisms adapted to be active under the reservoir conditions.

MEOR - ObjectivesMEOR - Objectives

Exploitation of Deep fieldsExploitation of Deep fields

High TemperatureHigh Temperature ( > optimum less bacteria ( > optimum less bacteria growth) (85C is well known, but 95-100 is possible).growth) (85C is well known, but 95-100 is possible).

High PressureHigh Pressure (careful consideration must be given (careful consideration must be given to the effects of pressure on growth rate and yield as to the effects of pressure on growth rate and yield as they might result in delays in the bacterial release of oil they might result in delays in the bacterial release of oil or possibly even lowered bacterial activity to the point or possibly even lowered bacterial activity to the point where expected benefits are not obtained at all.)where expected benefits are not obtained at all.)

High SalinityHigh Salinity (high NaCl concentration will inhibits (high NaCl concentration will inhibits the growing of bacteria, so better use Halophiles at high the growing of bacteria, so better use Halophiles at high NaCl ppm). NaCl ppm).

Down-side of MEORDown-side of MEOR

Plugging of Formations Plugging of Formations (due to bacteria (due to bacteria metabolism and their products)metabolism and their products)

- plug porous rocks causing reduced - plug porous rocks causing reduced permeability.permeability.

Degradation of Oil in Reservoir Degradation of Oil in Reservoir (CH4 (CH4 diffusion from oil)diffusion from oil)

Bacterial Corrosion Bacterial Corrosion (sulphate-reducing (sulphate-reducing bacteria)bacteria)

Souring (HSouring (H22S)S) Insufficient Nutrition for Bacteria.Insufficient Nutrition for Bacteria.

MEOR- The Hard Part!MEOR- The Hard Part! Process development, scale-up, field implementation….

Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development and MEORMEOR

MEOR reduces or eliminates the need to use harsh MEOR reduces or eliminates the need to use harsh chemicals during oil drillingchemicals during oil drilling

It is an environmentally compatible method of carrying out It is an environmentally compatible method of carrying out tertiary oil recovery. tertiary oil recovery.

MEOR will become increasingly economically feasible as MEOR will become increasingly economically feasible as genetic engineering develops more effective microbial genetic engineering develops more effective microbial bacteria that may subsist on inexpensive and abundant bacteria that may subsist on inexpensive and abundant nutrients.nutrients.

Methods for developing and growing MEOR bacteria are Methods for developing and growing MEOR bacteria are improving, thereby lowering production costs and making it improving, thereby lowering production costs and making it a more attractive alternative to traditional chemical a more attractive alternative to traditional chemical methods of tertiary oil recovery.methods of tertiary oil recovery.

Conclusions IConclusions I

Key potential advantage of MEOR –ability to use in situ carbon source

Key disadvantages of MEOR Likely microbial performance constraints Poor lab, field performance relative to peers

(other chemical EOR)

Preferred MEOR option Profile modification via biomass Simpler, esp. with indigenous microbes Compared to waterflood -Small incremental cost;

Marginal increase in difficulty

Conclusions IIConclusions II

While the research on MEOR While the research on MEOR mechanisms is still not adequate and the mechanisms is still not adequate and the success rate is still not high enough to success rate is still not high enough to increase heavy oil recovery on a large increase heavy oil recovery on a large scale, at today’s oil prices this is a scale, at today’s oil prices this is a promising technology which offers major promising technology which offers major R&D and commercial opportunities.R&D and commercial opportunities.