Article
 

Investigating the pore-scale mechanisms of microbial enhanced oil recovery

Público Deposited

Contenido Descargable

Descargar PDF
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/6m311p85h

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) is a process where microorganisms are used for tertiary oil recovery. Numerous mechanisms have been proposed in the literature through which microorganisms facilitate the mobilization of residual oil. Herein, we focus on the MEOR mechanisms of interfacial tension reduction (via biosurfactant) and bioclogging in water-wet micromodels, using Shewanella oneidensis (MR-1) that causes bioclogging and Bacillus mojavensis (JF-2) that produces biosurfactant and causes bioclogging. Micromodels were flooded with an assortment of flooding solutions ranging from metabolically active bacteria to nutrient limited bacteria to dead inactive biomass to asses the effectiveness of the proposed MEOR mechanisms of bioclogging and biosurfactant production. Results indicate tertiary flooding of the micromodel system with biomass and biosurfactant was optimal for oil recovery due to the combined effects of bioclogging of the pore-space and interfacial tension reduction. However, biosurfactant was able to recover oil in some cases dependent on wettability. Biomass without biosurfactant that clogged the pore-space also successfully produced additional oil recovery. When analyzing residual oil blob morphology, MEOR resulted in oil blob size and radius of curvature distributions similar to those obtained by an abiotic capillary desaturation test, where flooding rate was increased post secondary recovery. Furthermore, for the capillary number calculated during MEOR flooding with bioclogging and biosurfactant, lower residual oil saturation was measured than for the corresponding capillary number under abiotic conditions. These results suggest that bioclogging and biosurfactant MEOR is a potentially effective approach for pore morphology modification and thus flow alteration in porous media that can have a significant effect on oil recovery beyond that predicted by capillary number.
  • Keywords: bioclogging, micromodel, multiphase flow, microbial enhanced oil recovery, water flooding, biosurfactant, interfacial curvature
Resource Type
DOI
Fecha Disponible
Fecha de Emisión
Citation
  • Armstrong, R., & Wildenschild, D. (2012). Investigating the pore-scale mechanisms of microbial enhanced oil recovery. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 94-95, 155-164. doi: 10.1016/j.petrol.2012.06.031
Journal Title
Journal Volume
  • 94-95
Declaración de derechos
Funding Statement (additional comments about funding)
  • Acknowledgment is made to the donors of the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund for support (or partial support) of this research (grant number 48505-AC9).
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language
Replaces

Relaciones

Parents:

This work has no parents.

Elementos

Miniatura Título Fecha de subida Visibilidad Acciones
file details WildenschildDortheChemicalBiologicalEnvironmentalEngineeringInvestigatingPoreScale.pdf 2017-07-08 Público Descargar