MICROBIAL

ENHANCED OIL
RECOVERY

Prepared by
Ahmed
Yahia

Mohamed Hussien Aly.

Ali Shawky.

Agenda

Introduction

Injection Methods

MEOR Metabolites and Mechanisms

Screening Criteria

Economics

Limitations

Case Study

Conclusion

Introduction
Definition
Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) represents the use of
microorganisms to extract the remaining oil from reservoirs.
Sources
Indigenous

Less cost + Difficulty to achieve required actions

Exogenous

More cost + Produce required metabolites

Introduction
Type
Aerobic
Anaerobic
Facultative

Nutrients
Nitrogen source
Sugar source
Protein source
Carbon source

Nitrates
Molasses
Phosphates
Crude Oil

Injection Methods
Three general strategies exist for the implementation of
MEOR

Injection of nutrients to stimulate indigenous microorganisms

Injection of exogenous microorganisms(s) and nutrients

Injection of ex situ produced products

Injection Methods
Injection is done by two ways
Huff & Puff
Microbial Flooding

Injection Methods
Huff & Puff method

Injection

Injection Methods
Huff & Puff method

Shut-In

Injection Methods
Huff & Puff method
Production from the
Same well

Injection Methods
Microbial Flooding

MEOR Metabolites and

Mechanisms
Gases (H2, N2, CH4, CO2)
Reduce oil viscosity and improve flow characteristics
Displace immobile
Sweep oil in place

MEOR Metabolites and

Mechanisms
Acids (low molecular weight acids, primarily low molecular
weight
fatty acids)
Improve effective permeability by dissolving carbonate precipitates
from pores throat.
Significant improvement of permeability and porosity
CO2 produced from chemical reactions between acids and
carbonate reduce oil viscosity and causes oil droplet to sweel

MEOR Metabolites and

Mechanisms
Solvents (alcohols and ketones that are typical
cosurfactants)
Dissolve in oil reduce viscosity
Dissolve and remove heavy, long chain hydrocarbons from pore
throat
(increase effective permeability)
Involved in stabilizing and lowering interf. tension that promotes
emulsification
Reduce interfacial tension

MEOR Metabolites and

Mechanisms
Biosurfactants
Reduce interfacial tension between oil and rock/water surface
which
causes emulsification; improving pore scale displacement
Alter wettability

MEOR Metabolites and

Mechanisms
Biopolymers
Improve the viscosity of water in waterflooding and direct reservoir
fluids
to previously unswept areas of the reservoir
Improve the sweep efficiency of waterflood by plugging high
permeability zones or water-invaded zones
Control of water mobility

MEOR Metabolites and

Mechanisms
Biomass
Physically displace oil by growing between oil and rock/water
surface
Reversing wettability by microbial growth
Can plug high permeability zones
Selective partial degradation of whole crude oil
Act as selective and nonselective plugging agents

Screening Criteria

Microbes and nutrients

are relatively cheap
materials.

Cost is independent on
oil prices.

Implementation needs
minor modifications to
field facilities.
Economically attractive
for marginal producing
wells.
The total cost of
incremental oil
production from MEOR
is only 2 3 $/bbl.

Incremental oil cost,

$/bbl

Economics

Surfactant
Thermal
CO2 Injection
Polymer
Waterflooding

Total recovery, %

MEOR

Limitations

Mineral content :
Increasing salinity absorbs water from the microbe and
negatively affects its growth.

Reservoir parameters :
Permeability, temperature, pressure, salinity, pH, etc affects
selection of our types and our growth.

Lack of experience :
Study of bacteria metabolism, and relation to subsurface
environment, need great effort.

Sulfate-reducing bacteria :
Produce H2S and SO2 Causing bio-corrosion of the equipment,
and contamination of ground water.

Case study

Case 1 : Well stimulation, USA, Johnson, 1979

Well: Low production
Oil production: 20 bbl/day
Objective: Well clean-out
Bacteria:* Bacillus
* Clostridium
* Up to 105 to 106 cells/ml
Nutrients:* Molasses (4 %)
* (NH4)3PO4 (0.02 %)
Process: Huff and Puff , Shut-in for 4 weeks, Increase production 350
%

Case study

Case 2: Microbialflooding, USA, Davidson et al, 1988

Problem:

* High oil viscosity (21 API)

* Unfavorable mobility ratio
* Inefficient water-flooding
Bacteria:* Clostridium
* High producer of CO2 and alcohols
Nutrients:* Water 10,000bbl
* Free corn syrup 200,000lb
* mineral salts
Process: Injection, Shut-in for 7 days, Viscosity reduction and Mobility
Improvment

Conclusion

EOR Methods are specific for specific reservoirs.

Usage of microbes is to produce Bio-chemicals.

Effect of reservoir conditions.

MEOR is economical method.

Questions ?