MEOR PROCESS BY PRODUCED BIOPOLYMER IN SITU

LABORATORY TESTING OF A MICROBIAL ENHANCED

OIL RECOVERY PROCESS BY PRODUCED
BIOPOLYMER IN SITU

Antonia G. T. Volpon, Petrobras

Maria Aparecida de Melo, Petrobras

Abstract: Microbial methods have been proposed to reduce problems associated with reservoir
heterogeneity that result in unswept zones and low oil recovery.
This paper presents laboratory results of a promising microbial system for polymer production, which
can be applied to modify the reservoir permeability. As a consequence, redistribution of fluids occurs,
increasing swept zones and oil recovery.
Coreflooding experiments were carried out in a sandstone model, with and without oil, using polymer
producing bacterium isolated from wells of Carmópolis field, Brazil.
The results indicate that microbial cells as well as the required nutrients were selectively transported
into the high permeability cores. The in situ growth of microorganisms were observed inside core
during incubation period by pressure measurement.

INTRODUCTION • Some bacteria can reduce viscosity and

MEOR (Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery) is a
potentially attractive way to recover additional or
incremental oil from a reservoir. Beyond
conventional operations that use expensive
chemicals or steam generation equipment, the
MEOR is flexible and potentially cost-effective,
even at relatively low crude oil prices (1).
Three major areas comprise the majority of
microbial testing (2):
• Single-well stimulation treatments for
removal of formation damage from
paraffin deposits near the wellbore or
for mobilization of oil in the wellbore
vicinity.
• Permeability modification to improve
water-flood sweep efficiency.
• Enhanced oil recovery with bacterial
solutions that generate biopolymers,
biosurfactants, gases and solvents,
that can occur individually or
simultaneously depending on the
microbial system.
Each application is accomplished by one or
several mechanisms. Such mechanisms include
(3):
wax content of crude oil. They break
the long-chain alkanes and alkyl chain
of aromatics through metabolization
resulting in the production of acids,
acetones, ethers, and gases (4).
• The growth and metabolism of
microorganisms in the porous matrix
decrease the pore space and as a
consequence, the permeability.
• In situ generated biopolymers improve
mobility control and increase sweep
efficiency while biosurfactants
reduce the oil/water interfacial
tension and improve the displacement
efficiency. Depending on the kind of
microorganisms, these mechanisms
may or may not be associated to other
secondary effects such as the
production of solvents that reduce
the oil viscosity and increase its
mobility or the production of acids
that dissolve carbonate rock, increase
pore space and produce more carbon
dioxide. Carbon dioxide in gaseous
form expands, producing a driving
mechanism, or if it is dissolved,
reduces the crude oil viscosity, thus
increasing its mobility.

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 MEOR PROCESS BY PRODUCED BIOPOLYMER IN SITU
The knowledge of transport mechanisms and
microorganism interaction within the reservoir
rock is the key for the technical and
economical success of this flexible technique.
In this work, a microbial method of in situ
generated biopolymer is proposed to reduce
problems associated with reservoir heterogeneity
that result in unswept zones. Laboratory
experiments that aimed at the determination of
the acting mechanisms of a promising microbial
system called B3 bacterium were performed.
LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS
In these last years, the petroleum industry has
become aware of the importance of
Microbiology. In 1994, PETROBRAS began a
theoretical and experimental study of
microbiological processes. This study had as
initial target Carmópolis field (northeast, Brazil).
The choice of Carmópolis as a first candidate
is due to the fact that it is the biggest onshore
field in Brazil in terms of oil in place. The
great heterogeneity of this field typified by
preferred channels, faults, and a low resultant
recovery factor of about 10%, along with its
physical features, point to this field as the
ideal choice for use of the microbiological
methods.
Coreflooding experiments were carried out in a
sandstone model, with and without oil, using a
B3 bacterium isolated from reservoirs of
Carmopólis field. The results indicate that
bacterium as well as the required nutrients were
selectively transported into the high permeability
cores. The in situ growth of microorganisms
were observed inside core during incubation
period by static pressure measurement. A high
reduction in the water effective permeability was
caused by the bacterial growth and polymer
production. This result was confirmed by the
large amounts of biomass and biopolymer present
in the effluent and by scanning electron
microscopy.
The first objective is to diminish the flow of
water within such high permeability zones,
causing reservoir resident fluids to undergo a
rearrangement (correction of injectivity
profile). This reduces the quantity of
produced water which may or may not
increase the oil output. The second objective
is to increase the viscosity of the water, since
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the bacteria under reservoir conditions
produce a viscous secretion. Such secretion,
known as a biopolymer, affects the mobility of
the displacing and the displaced fluids thus
bringing about an increase in the quantity of oil
recovered. Secondary mechanisms, such as the
production of gas and solvents, changes in
oil/water surface tension and changes in
mobility were not observed in the present
work.
CONCLUSION
From the study of B3 bacterium behavior, the
following points were noticed:
• Permeability in highly permeable
zones was greatly reduced in a
porous medium, whether in the
presence of oil or not, having
reached a residual resistance
factor (Frr) of about 5, which is
significant as regards any field
applications.
• Efficiency of the treatment to
reduce permeability varies in
inverse proportion to rock
permeability but can be altered
according to requirements in
terms of bacterial concentration.
• Penetration and adsorption of
bacteria and nutrient was good in
porous media of different
permeability as confirmed by
visual analysis of the cores.
• Experimental conditions enabled
bacteria to grow well inside
porous medium during 10 days
incubation period, as found by
monitoring static pressure due to
biologic activity of bacteria.
• The B3 bacterium penetrated,
adsorbed, grew and produced
polymers under test conditions:
rock saturated with water with
20,000 ppm of NaCl or saturated
with Carmópolis fluids (oil and
water), confirmed by examination
of effluent and rock, including
scanning electron microscopy.
• Oil recovery in the laboratory test
increased by 20%.
 MEOR PROCESS BY PRODUCED BIOPOLYMER IN SITU

• Study of B3 bacterium This work showed that a review of the

physiology, used as model,
showed that it was halotolerant in
a medium containing 10% of
NaCl or Carmópolis reservoir
oil. There was also growth of B3
bacterium which was fostered
within unconsolidated rock.
These features of bacteria show
that they are able to adapt
themselves to a wide range of
conditions.
REFERENCES
conventional special recovery methods in
connection with the features of the Carmópolis
field, where the injected water flows through
high permeability zones, point to use of MEOR
(Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery) as proper
for this reservoir.
Furthermore use of biopolymer in situ emerges
as an alternative to use of synthetic polymer
which is being studied for this field.

1. Rouse, B., Hiebert, F., Lake, L. W., “Laboratory Testing of a Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery Process
Undes Anaerobic Conditions”, Oct 1992, 67 th Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition of the
SPE, Washington, DC.
2. Almalik, M. S.,Desouky, S. E. M., “Saudis Study Native Bacteria for MEOR”, Jun 1996, Petroleum
Engineer International.
3. Abdel-waly A. A., “Laboratory Study on Activating Indigenous Microorganisms to Enhance Oil
Recovery”, Feb 1999, JCPT.
4. He, Z., et al., “MEOR Pilot Sees Encouraging Results in Chinese Oil Field”, Jan 2000, Oil & Gas
Journal.

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