A Commercial Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery Technology: Evaluation of 322 Projects

Abstract

This paper discusses a data-base of information collected from 322 projects, all treated with the same Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery Process An analysis of the data quantifies the effectiveness and economics of this particular process, and is a source of information useful for predicting treatment response in any given reservoir. Introduction During the past ten years, much attention has been focused on the evaluation of individual field applications of a variety of different Microbial Enhanced oil Recovery ("MEOR") processes. Little, if any, data has been published that reports the results of a single MEOR technology applied across a variety of reservoirs and production strategies. Consequently, oil producers have been resistant to accepting individual, commercial MEOR technologies because they perceive that MEOR has not been subjected to enough extensive, widespread field testing. This paper will present data illustrating the effectiveness of a single MEOR process that has been successfully applied and results quantified in a large number of commercial projects, representing more than 2,000 producing oil wells in the United States. Since these projects represent such a large number of oil reservoirs, comprising a wide variety of bottomhole conditions, formations, and drive types, it is now possible to provide much needed data to producers that can be used to predict how any given reservoir will respond to this MEOR process. A data-base, which is believed to be the first of its kind, has been created with data collected from the broad use of this MEOR system. The data has been organized to isolate ranges of individual reservoir characteristics like lithology, porosity, permeability, crude oil gravity, etc. so that they can be compared to the corresponding response in oil production observed after implementing MEOR. Information generated with the data-base can be used by producers as a tool to determine which of their reservoirs may be the best candidates for this process. It also provides oil producers with information they can use to make informed, economic decisions when considering the feasibility of utilizing this MEOR process once a candidate reservoir has been identified. Background Almost 3 million oil wells have been drilled nationwide within the United States and thus for more than 500 billion barrels ("bbls.") of oil have been discovered. primary and secondary recovery, using conventional technology, are expected to recover only 33% (~175 billion bbls.) of the 500 billion barrels of original oil in place ("OOIP"). P. 693

Injection of biosurfactant and chemical surfactant following hot water injection to enhance heavy oil recovery

“…The economic efficiency of biosurfactants depends on the use of low cost raw materials, such as molasses or cheese whey, which account for 10 %-30 % of the overall cost (Joshi et al 2008). Portwood (1995) reviewed hundreds of projects and concluded that the cost of MEOR process, including biosurfactants, ranges from $ 0.25 to $ 0.50 per barrel of oil produced and does not go up as oil production increases. A more recent study reported that the price of biosurfactants ranges between US$ 2 and 3 per kg (Hazra et al 2011).…”

Residual-Oil Recovery Through Injection of Biosurfactant, Chemical Surfactant, and Mixtures of Both Under Reservoir Temperatures: Induced-Wettability and Interfacial-Tension Effects

“…The economic efficiency of biosurfactants depends on the use of low-cost raw materials, such as molasses or cheese whey, which account for 10-30% of the overall cost (Cameotra and Makkar 2002). Portwood (1995) reviewed hundreds of projects and concluded that the cost of the MEOR process, including biosurfactants, ranges from USD 0.25 to 0.50 per barrel of oil produced and does not go up as oil production increases. A more recent study reported that the price of biosurfactants ranges between USD 2 and 3 per kg (Hazra et al 2011).…”

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery

“…By 1990, MEOR reached interdisciplinary technological status. In 2007, a review of 322 MEOR projects in USA showed that 78% of the total number of projects were successful in enhancing oil recovery; while no cases of lowered oil recovery were revealed [6]. At present, there is a grown interest in the application of MEOR to enhance oil production from depleted reservoirs, because its low capital cost and environmental friendliness.…”

“…MEOR mechanisms are the same mechanisms obtained from other chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods; however, MEOR presents the advantage that microbial metabolites are directly produced in the reservoir rock formation, which makes them more effective. Furthermore, microorganisms metabolize different hydrocarbons at different rates [6]. [7] and Schmitt [8].…”

“…Solvents reduce the oil viscosity to improve the oil mobility by overcoming viscous forces; while surfactants reduce the interfacial tension between oil and rock or oil and water overcoming capillary forces. These chemicals are added to the injection water and transported within the reservoir during water flooding, however, the chemicals reach only the places where oil has already been displaced by water; furthermore, the chemicals could be partially consumed and/or retained within the rock formation before they reach the target area in the reservoir for their intended use [6].…”