IPA14-SE-119
PROCEEDINGS, INDONESIAN PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION
Thirty-Eighth Annual Convention & Exhibition, May 2014
A CRITICAL REVIEW OF MICROBIAL ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY USING ARTIFICIAL
SANDSTONE CORE: A MATHEMATICAL MODEL
Farizal Hakiki*
ABSTRACT
Enhancing the amount of oil recovered from a
mature field has become the standard procedure of
the life cycle of an oil well. The need for a green
application leads Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery
as an empowered technology that supports
environmental tranquility. The present paper
exposes the mathematical model of previous
experiment results of applying indigenous bacteria
Bacillus sp. and Bacillus polymyxa on oil samples
from Handil Field in Indonesia. The experiment
performed by Bitticaca (2009) was a cultivation of
those bacteria adapted on SMSS with 0.01% (m/v)
NPK + 20% (v/v) oil sample. The growth of
bacteria was recorded every 24 hours for 7 days.
The optimization of the inoculum ratio was then
made by looking at the ability to alter the physical
characteristics, such as the viscosity and interfacial
tension, of crude oil. The characteristics alteration is
caused by biosurfactant production; hence, the
growth data of bacteria and biosurfactant production
are modeled in mathematical equations and
approached by coupling logistics-growth and a
modified predator-prey model. The equations are
then solved using analytical and finite difference
methods. Since every bacterium has its own special
growth rate, carrying capacity and toxicity constant,
these equations are beneficial for the optimization
of inoculum of Bacillus sp. and Bacillus polymyxa.
The experiment reveals that the mixed culture of
bacteria (1:1) is better compared with the synthetic
surfactant. A simple equation was numerically
developed to predict the recovery factor due to
MEOR and validated with Prihartos laboratory data
(2009) of bacterial coreflooding using an artificial
sandstone core within 7 days incubation (shut-in
period), 0.88 cc/minute injection, overburden
pressure 100 psi and 55 C temperature. Thus, this
investigation on developing related mathematical
model would contribute to a further study of
conducting an eco-friendly Enhanced Oil
Recovery via MEOR to a mature sandstone-
dominated reservoir.
* Institute of Technology Bandung
IPA, 2014 38th Annual Convention Proceedings, 2014
Keywords: Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery
(MEOR), Biosurfactant, Sandstone Core,
Mathematical Model
INTRODUCTION
EOR is aimed at reducing the remaining oil
saturation, reducing the water cut, increasing the
sweep efficiency at the waterfront and ensuring
more oil is pushed to the production well.
One tertiary oil recovery method that has potential
to be eco-friendly to improve oil production is
Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR). MEOR
employ microorganisms whether in whole cell or
their bioproducts to increase oil production by
altering the oil and reservoir characteristics.
Numerous studies have been carried out to
investigate the mechanisms and feasibility of
MEOR technology worldwide. In Indonesia,
MEOR field trials was conducted at Ledok Field,
Central Java in 1999 by PERTAMINA.
The purpose of this paper is developing and
validating mathematical predictive model of (a)
Bacteria-Bio-surfactant Growth, (b) IFT Model, (c)
Viscosity Model, (d) CMC Model and (e) Recovery
Factor Model that could be beneficial in advanced
MEOR simulation.
EXPERIMENTAL WORK REVIEW
The experiment data were abstracted from literature
provided by Bitticaca (2009) and Priharto (2009).
Bittacacas thesis provides bacteria incubation
performance to cultivate bacterium for several ratios
and its effect on IFT reduction based upon
biosurfactant production. Prihartos thesis
performed the core-scale simulation on artificial
sandstone core. In this study, this data were used to
develop a mathematical model, either a bacteria
model or a recovery factor model due to flooding.
Bacterial Culture Activation and Adaptation
The bacteria Bacillus sp. and Bacillus polymyxa
were activated and adapted into a Stone Mineral
Salt Solution (SMSS) medium containing 20% oil
and 0.01% NPK at 55C incubation. They were
grown 2 3-days to ensure that they could survive
on the medium. The bacterial growth trend is
curved to obtain the highest growth rate and when it
would happen (See Figure 3 and 4).
Mixed Culture Inoculums Ratio Optimization
The vital parameters, those are the biosurfactant
production curve and the CMC curve (Bitticaca,
2009). On mixed culture, biosurfactant production
shows better results than by single culture. The
growth patterns of the mixed culture, however, are
worse than single culture. This is due to tight
interspecies competition on limited nutrition
availability especially nitrogen sources that induce
the production of biosurfactants. In this survival
state, biosurfactants are used by bacterial cells for
mediating the efficient uptake to the nutrition, as the
survival mechanisms and as the results of balance
mechanisms on cells that remove the excess fatty
acids caused by hydrocarbon or insoluble substrate
uptake. Hence, the proposed mathematical model
would involve a competition term.
The optimization of the inoculum ratio was also
conducted based on the ability of the biosurfactant
in reducing IFT (interfacial tension). The
experimental results show that the effectiveness of
the mixed culture biosurfactant are determined by
type and composition of the mixed surfactants
released by each bacterial species (See Figure 3 and
4). For example, biosurfactant X and Y are the
name of produced biosurfactant by each bacteria
respectively. It would be quite hard to measure each
biosurfactant concentration when the bacteria used
are together in a particular ratio. It is just possible to
measure biosurfactant X and Y which are produced
by single composition. That is why no figure
provided to describe the phenomena of each
produced biosurfactant by mixed culture. Only the
mixed biosurfactant concentration was measured.
How the chemical characteristics of biosurfactant
solution were not performed as well for instance
how soluble biosurfactant X in biosurfactant Y
solution and vise versa. There was no counting job
done on either extinct or remaining each bacteria
population.
Microbial Core Flooding
Prihartos thesis provides evidence that cells were
penetrated successfully and colonized the inner part
of artificial cores but failed to develop and grow.
Related to Madigan stated in Priharto (2009), the
endospore formation and dwarfed cell could only
happen if the bacterial cells were in a harsh
condition such as a starved condition. EDX analysis
supports the analysis by showing the appearance in
iron and manganese concentration. Iron and
manganese are important cell micronutrients that
could only appear in this system due to bacterial
uptake (See Table 1). Iron is one of the backbones
of teichoic acids and manganese plays important
part in cell transport. Due to the lack of data
collected, there would be no developed model to
study the silicate crystal reduction. It
Priharto (2009) described that both experiments,
using and without nutrition addition experience of
starving. In keeping bacteria survived, they generate
endospore and reduce the growth rate. That
circumstance is not suitable for MEOR because it
triggers bacteria to reduce producing secondary
metabolite such as biosurfactant, biopolymer and
biosolvent. Figure 1 and 2 show the existence of
penetration and colonization from normal cell.
Experiment has proven that using nutrion addition
while soaking period (shut-in period) and bacteria
flooding could assist bacteria to penetrate into rock
pore. As stated at beginning, starving was still
existing, in fact, nutrition addition had been done.
It is, however, working on enhancing oil recovery.
The developed model would yet to cover and model
the phenomenon of bacteria colonization.
MATHEMATICAL MODEL DEVELOPMENT
Bacteria and Bio-surfactant Modeling
According to Halim et al (2009), the mathematical
models are developed by coupling the logistics-
growth and modified predator-prey models. This
approximation model is carried out after observing
the curve trend. The model consists of a growth of
bacteria and biosurfactants being produced by the
bacteria itself. The mathematical approach of the
bacteria growth is deducted by logistics-growth
with a toxicity factor due to the interaction with the
biosurfactant. The equation is coupled
simultaneously with the predator-prey model for
biosurfactants in the last term which is defined as
rate decrease due to interaction of bacteri and
biosurfactant within particular predatory level. The
interaction behavior is modeled as a multiplication.

(1)
where is a growth of bacteria population and
with growth constant ; while is a bacteria
competitor model for a given bacteria population,
within carrying capacity of bacteria, . Hence, this
term could also be written as , which
means a competition among bacteria population,
with a competition constant, . The negative
sign in that formula is because of reducing the
bacteria growth due to the competition of bacteria in
uptaking nutrition. The existence of the
biosurfactant, in fact, affects the reduction in
bacteria too. For a given biosurfactant density,
could interact and be dangerous for the bacteria
population, . The dangerous of predatory level is
defined by the existence of a toxicity constant, .
The biosurfactant growth can be modeled as.
(2)
The production of the biosurfactant density,
depends on the bacteria itself. Hence, the
biosurfactant growth is correlated linearly to the
bacteria population, with a growth constant .
The growth could also be reduced by the predation
behavior of bacteria in consuming their own
biosurfactant. Therefore, there will be an action of
consuming the biosurfactant, by a bacteria
population, with a predation factor, . Equations
(1) and (2) are performed using the finite difference
method. The parameter is calculated based on
the early growth of bacteria during the first day by
assuming no interaction happens among the bacteria
itself and the surfactant. The remaining parameters
are determined by curve fitting. These are the
simulation results of those equations using the finite
difference method. The constants acquired using
finite difference either from Bacillus sp. or Bacillus
polymyxa is presented in Table 2. Optimization was
also able to be conducted through the developed
model for instance how much biosurfactant volume
and concentration required to apply MEOR in field
scale operation. This concentration and volume
would be studied based on those formula in
Equation (1) and (2) to assess how much bacteria
population should be cultivated on surface and
might be survived in reservoir. Experiments said
that bacteria could withstand with huge pressure.
Interfacial Tension Modeling
This model was performed after observing the curve
trend of IFT versus incubation time (See Figure 8,
9, 10 and 11). The observation influences the
analytical thinking of the proposed model. Results
show all bacteria compositions have the same trend
of declining IFT. It is analytically modeled as
Equation (3):
(3)
The minus sign in the LHS of Equation (3) means a
reduction in IFT with respect to the time. The
reduction would be end or mathematically
expressed as the zero reduction rate when the
incubation time, has been very long ( ).
Hence, the first term in the RHS is an analogy of
that phenomena. The IFT reduction rate is then
dampened by the difference in initial IFT and in the
instantaneous IFT, ( ) by a damping constant
. This damping idea means that the IFT reduction
rate in early time would be higher than in late time
because the value of ( ) would limit the rate.
The solution of Equation (3) is presented as below.
(4)
Constants and are determined simultaneously by
the least square method based on experimental data.
The constants determination is summarized on
Table 3.
Viscosity Model
A model of viscosity correlation, Pelofskys
equation, exists:
(5)
The values of and depend on the composition
of the oil sample. Based on the oil sample from the
Handil Field, it gives and
. Hence, to apply a viscosity reduction
model, it could be carried out by inserting IFT as a
function of time based on Equation (4) into
Equation (5). At this case, it has cP oil
viscosity and API gravity.

CMC Modeling
This part generates a model that links the IFT of the
oil sample as a function of surfactant concentration
Since the trend of IFT versus surfactant
concentration is the same as the trend of IFT versus
incubation time (See Figure 5, 6 and 7), the
proposed model would be similar to Equations (3)
and (4).
(6)
The solution general solution of Equation (6) is
(7)
The minus sign in the LHS of Equation (6) means a
reduction of IFT with respect to the surfactant
concentration. The reduction would be at the end or
expressed mathematically as a zero reduction when
the surfactant concentration, S has been large.
Hence, the first term on the RHS is an analogy of
that phenomena. The IFT reduction is then
dampened by the difference in the initial IFT and
the instantaneous IFT, ( ) by the damping
constant . This damping idea means that the IFT
reduction in early time would be higher because the
value of ( ) would limit the reduction.
Constants and are determined simultaneously
by the least square method based on experimental
data. The constants determination is summarized on
Table 4.
Recovery Factor Model
This equation predicts the first recovery factor due
to first water-injection:
(8)
The constants value are listed in Table 5.
Without the addition of nutrients, nothing is
affected in enhancing the oil recovery. It will be the
same as an ordinary waterflooding because the
injected microorganisms are nutrient deprived. It
depends on residual oil volume only. Later, the
microbes would create endospores and initialize a
slower growth rate to survive. They will be in
dormant (temporarily die) condition. Later, to
ensure MEOR works, an injection of nutritions is
required. Hence, the final recovery factor would be:
(9)
The constants value are listed in Table 5 and the
parameters are (permeability), (porosity),
(Initial volume in place) and (IFT). The constants
value are listed in Table 6.
CONCLUSIONS
Several good mathematical models and correlations
have been developed: (a) Bacteria-Bio-surfactant
Growth, (b) IFT Model, (c) Viscosity Model, (d)
CMC Model and (e) Recovery Factor Model that
could be beneficial in advanced MEOR simulation.
The equations developed should be adjusted to the
experimental results; hence, the trend would be
limited to the effectiveness of the substance, for
instance, the CMC point.
REFERENCES
Bitticaca. 2009. Optimization of Innoculum Ratio of
Hydrocarbonolastic Bacterial Mixed Culture from
Handil Field (West Kalimantan) Concerning the
Production of Biosurfactant. Bachelor Thesis,
Bandung: School of Life Science, ITB.
Bitticaca and Ariadji. 2013. The Development of
Reservoir Simulation Method for Microbial
Enhanced Oil Recovery Based on Laboratory Data.
Master Thesis, Bandung: Petroleum Study Program,
ITB.
Boyce and DiPrima. 2008. Elementary Differential
Equations and Boundary Value Problems 9th
Edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Halim, et al. 2009. Microbial Enhanced Oil
Recovery - An Investigation of Bacteria Ability to
Live and Alter Crude Oil Physical Characteristics in
High Pressure Condition. SPE-123506-MS-P. SPE
Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and
Exhibition, Jakarta.
Priharto, N. 2009. Simulasi MEOR (Microbial
Enhanced Oil Recovery) Menggunakan Metode
Core Flood dengan Injeksi Mikroorganisme Indigen
pada Batuan Artificial Core. Bachelor Thesis,
Bandung: School of Life Science, ITB.
 TABLE 1

EDX ANALYSIS RESULT OF INJECTED ROCK ON 1000 mD

(AFTER PRIHARTO, 2009).

Compound Mass (%)

Injected Control

C 39.77 4.38

Al2O3 4.91 5.21

SiO2 17.165 37.3625

FeO trace 0

CaO 35.125 54.555

MnO 1 0

TABLE 2

THE SUMMARY OF SOLVING THE DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION

SYSTEM OF EQUATION (1) AND (2).

Species of Bacteria
Constant
Bacillus sp. Bacillus polymyxa
Growth of , 0.007164684 0.04587031
Carrying capacity, 16.00487543 13.92809071
Toxicity, 0.001463937 0.01199628
Growth of , 0.005514123 0.001144187
Consumption, 0.000942743 0.004395512
 TABLE 3

THE SUMMARY OF THE IFT MODEL AS A FUNCTION

OF INCUBATION TIME, EQUATION (4).

Bacteria Ratio of
Bacillus sp. and Value of Value of Fitness of Model
Bacillus polymyxa (R-square)

1:1 0.006568546 0.006169444 0.982804613

1:2 0.001926769 0.003400930 0.923403348

2:1 0.008655947 0.008775755 0.924978333

0:1 0.008593483 0.008583598 0.978449225

TABLE 4

THE SUMMARY OF THE IFT MODEL AS A FUNCTION

OF SURFACTANT CONCENTRATION, EQUATION (7).

Bacteria Ratio of
Bacillus sp. and Value of Value of Fitness of Model
Bacillus polymyxa (R-square)

1:1 0.529421382 0.533452297 0.807693894

1:2 0.155415863 0.168971792 0.85888027

2:1 0.364134164 0.356867689 0.476272733

TABLE 5

SUMMARY OF EQUATION (8)

Constant Value
34809.8239

0.225675013

2.411922033

0.270655396
 TABLE 6

SUMMARY OF EQUATION (9)

Constant Value
3.521979307

0.240799751

1.028014273

1.028014273

2.841158565

Figure 1 - Photomicrograph of Injected Artificial Cores With Permeability Value of 1000 mD at 5000
Magnification. One Bar Represents 5 m (After Priharto, 2009).

Figure 2 - Photomicrograph of Injected Artificial Cores With Permeability Value of 9 mD at 3000

Magnification. One Bar Represents 5 m (After Priharto, 2009).
Figure 3 - Simulation Result of Solving Differential Equation System Between Equation (1) and (2) for
Bacillus sp. Bacteria on SMSS medium + 0.01% (m/v) NPK + 20% Oil.

Figure 4 - Simulation Result of Solving Differential Equation System Between Equation (1) and (2) for
Bacillus polymyxa Bacteria on SMSS medium + 0.01% (m/v) NPK + 20% Oil.
 In this area,
IFT No Longer Significantly Reduced

Figure 5 - Simulation Result of IFT Reduction Modeling for Ratio of Bacillus sp. and Bacillus polymyxa
1:1. Bacteria is on SMSS medium + 0.01% (m/v) NPK + 20% Oil.

In this area,
IFT No Longer Significantly Reduced

Figure 6 - Simulation Result of IFT Reduction Modeling for Ratio of Bacillus sp. and Bacillus polymyxa
1:2. Bacteria is on SMSS medium + 0.01% (m/v) NPK + 20% Oil.
 In this area,
IFT No Longer Significantly Reduced

Figure 7 - Simulation Result of IFT Reduction Modeling Based on Dry Weight of Surfactant for Ratio of
Bacillus sp. and Bacillus polymyxa 2:1. Bacteria is on SMSS medium + 0.01% (m/v) NPK +
20% Oil.

Figure 8 - Simulation Result of IFT Reduction Modeling Based on Incubation Time for Ratio of Bacillus sp.
and Bacillus polymyxa 1:1. Bacteria is on SMSS medium + 0.01% (m/v) NPK + 20% Oil.
Figure 9 - Simulation Result of IFT Reduction Modeling Based on Incubation Time for Ratio of Bacillus sp.
and Bacillus polymyxa 1:2. Bacteria is on SMSS medium + 0.01% (m/v) NPK + 20% Oil.

Figure 10 - Simulation Result of IFT Reduction Modeling Based on Incubation Time for Ratio of Bacillus
sp. and Bacillus polymyxa 2:1. Bacteria is on SMSS medium + 0.01% (m/v) NPK + 20% Oil.
Figure 11 - Simulation Result of IFT Reduction Modeling Based on Incubation Time for Single Culture of
Bacillus polymyxa. Bacteria is on SMSS medium + 0.01% (m/v) NPK + 20% Oil.

Figure 12 - Oil Recovery Percentage Obtained After Water-Microbial Injection Without Nutrient Addition.
Figure 13 - Oil Recovery Percentage Obtained After Water-Microbial Injection Within Nutrient Addition.