Use of microorganisms for enhancement of oil recovery

Biotechnology plays a predominant role in discovery and production of hydrocarbon for energy security of the world and thereby plays a pivotal role in oil industry. Microbial-enhanced oilrecovery (MEOR) involves processes where microorganisms and their products are used to recoveroil from either wells or reservoirs. The major advantage of MEOR is that it is economicallyattractivefor marginally-producing oil fields; less expensive than other enhanced oil recoverymethods and environmentallyfriendly. Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is an important tertiary oil recovery method which is cost-effective and eco-friendly technology to drive the residual oil trapped in the reservoirs. MEOR mechanism could be in the production of biosurfactant, gas orbiomass, in addition to bio-acids and bio-solvents for enhancing oil recovery. Earlier studies ofMEOR (199+s) were based on three broad areas: injection, dispersion, and propagation of microorganisms in petroleum reservoirs; selective degradation of oil components to improve flowcharacteristics; and production of metabolites by microorganisms and their effects The uses and types of different microbial bioproducts available in literature are reviewed and various recovery mechanisms are discussed.The roadmap and research on Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) can provide attention on the potentiality of biotechnology to others fields for the oil industry.

کلیدواژه ها:

Microbial-Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) ، Microorganisms ، oil fields ، MEOR mechanism ، reservoir