All You Should Know about Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) can be referred to as a tertiary oil recovery method where microorganisms, or their by-products, increase oil recovery through the formation of stable oil-water emulsions,  and giving rise to reduced interfacial tension, or bio-plugging, thereby diverting injection fluids through upswept areas.


Microbial enhanced oil recovery


Some of the astounding benefits of the Microbial enhanced oil recovery or MEOR process are as follows:

Economic benefits

  • Cost-effective: MEOR can be utilized in mature oil fields before they are abandoned. 
  • No major infrastructure changes: MEOR doesn't involve major changes to existing facilities. 

Environmental benefits 

  • Biodegradable: MEOR makes use of biodegradable products and additives.
  • Eco-friendly: MEOR can be used to create and develop environmentally benign microbial strains.

Energy efficiency 

  • Consumes less energy: MEOR uses less energy than thermal EOR processes.


Mechanism

The primary mechanism behind MEOR involves stimulating the growth of naturally occurring microbes, or it involves introducing specially selected microbial strains into the oil reservoir.


These microorganisms, when they are injected into the reservoir, can perform several functions to enhance oil recovery. One of the essentials of the process is, production of gases, like carbon dioxide or methane, which can help reduce the oil's viscosity, and this makes it quite easier to flow to the surface. Moreover, microbes can produce surfactants or give rise to biopolymers that can reduce interfacial tension, thereby improving the possibility of fluid flow, and enhancing the displacement of oil from rock formations. You can count on a professional company to get the best results in the microbial biotechnology laboratory.


Another important aspect of MEOR is microbial metabolism, which can result in the breakdown of organic matter within the reservoir, potentially releasing trapped oil. Some microorganisms also produce acids that can help dissolve minerals and alter the permeability of the rock, further aiding in oil recovery.


Other benefits

  • Increases oil recovery: MEOR can increase oil recovery by up to 50%. 
  • Extends field life: MEOR extends the field life beyond its primary recovery period. 
  • Improves reservoir properties: MEOR can reduce oil viscosity and increase reservoir permeability. 
  • Reduces interfacial tension: MEOR can reduce interfacial tension. 


Final Thoughts

However, despite its potential, the analysis and implementation of MEOR are still under research and development, keeping in mind the various challenges remaining in terms of microbial strain selection, and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, as technology advances, MEOR could become a viable option for ultimately increasing oil recovery from mature fields.

Location: India

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