Page 36: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Apr/May 2015)

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IOR / EOR

Exploring

MEOR is the process whereby microbes in a reservoir can affect the production in the producer wells by producing gas, acids, surfactant, and change water ? ow patterns. In the past,

MEOR efforts have been made to introduce non-indigenous microbes into the reservoir, or feeding the microbes with an external car-

Jerry Lee takes a look at some of the research bon source like molasses. These methods, however, did not take hold. Though from those experiments, current technology has surrounding microbial enhanced oil recovery improved to focus on the factors that worked in those experi- (MEOR), and how it could be a viable solution ments and avoiding those that did not.

The focus of contemporary technology is now centered on for increasing recovery efforts.

two factors: bio-surfactants, and induced bio-plugging. The xploration and new ? eld development can require a con- idea behind these two factors are simple; bio-surfactants will siderable amount of CAPEX before the ? rst drop of oil allow oil to become more mobile, while bio-plugging facilitates

E is ever produced. Mature or aging ? elds, however, have greater access to oil by encouraging the ? ow path to deviate to proven oil that is already producing. Thus in this oil economy, underutilized or isolated pathways. it may be more cost effective to turn to these ? elds and seek Glori Energy and DuPont are two companies that put these methods of increasing recovery and pro? tability. Enhanced oil ideas to use by utilizing the tenacious nature of microbes. recovery (EOR) techniques have been developed for this pur- Found in the reservoirs are indigenous microorganisms that pose, to decrease the amount of residual oil in a reservoir. are inactive or dormant and deprived of nutrients. These hearty

Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is a type of EOR microbes have already adapted to the extreme living condi- that has been re? ned over the decades, and with an incremental tions in the reservoir and thus serve as an affective medium for cost around US$10/bbl, it is cost effective and can be seen as a MEOR technology. Once supplied with the proper nutrients, the viable solution for today’s oil economy. microbes become active and multiply. However, not all of the “Low CAPEX and low OPEX means low risk for oil produc- microbes are useful, so a sample of the organisms found in the ers, so it’s a very attractive technology. In current oil times reservoir must be taken back to the lab where the useful organ- it may be the only economic alternative, so without a lot of ism can be isolated. From the lab, a nutrient package can be overhead it’s going to be the competition in EOR now,” says developed to positively select for the useful organism, however,

Mike Pavia, CTO of Glori Energy. a carbon source is left out that will require the organism to use

April 2015 | OE oedigital.com 38 038-OE0415_Feat2.Jerry.indd 38 3/23/15 2:27 PM