MEOR Technology

MEOR (Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery) Technology for application in stripper oil wells

For enhanced oil recovery from stripper by application of microbes, TERI and IRS, ONGC have jointly cultured a set of microbes that could survive oil reservoir temperature as high as 90ºC, air pressure up to 140 kilograms persquare centimeter, and strong salinity with concentration levels up to 4%. Techniques used earlier for oil recovery employed microbes that could bear temperatures only up to 65ºC. TERI and IRS, ONGC cultured more efficient and more strong bacteria in simulated conditions of oil wells complete with high temperature, high pressure, and high salt concentration. The process microbial enhanced oil recovery was successfully tested in 15 oil wells at Ahmedabad and Mehsana Assets and the rest, as they say, is history.

IRS, ONGC along with TERI, New Delhi have developed a bacterial consortium S2 for enhanced oil recovery and got a Joint Patent -National and International (US, Canada and Russia).

The MEOR (microbial enhanced oil recovery) mechanism of extracting oil from less productive wells has solved an age-old problem that perplexed the oil producing company. Also called the huff-puff method of oil recovery from oil wells (it involves injecting microbes and then sucking up oil); it recovers additional oil from oil wells by action of selected microbes in oil reservoir.

The technology was initially implemented in 82 oil wells in ONGC, Ahmedabad and Mehsana Assets. With encouraging results, OTBL has now implemented this technology in additional 50 oil wells of ONGC Ahmedabad Asset and 5 oil wells of ONGC Assam Asset and 2 oil wells in Georgia.

The success rate of process has been very encouraging. In some wells, production (per day) increased threefold. How did this happen? First, suitable bacteria that are thermophilic (and can withstand a temperature of 90ºC), approximately 0.5–1 micron in size and capable of existing in oxygen-less brackish atmosphere were isolated. Second, they cultured the microbes in bulk in an anaerobic bioreactor at 90 ºC.

The bulk-produced microbes were then injected into the oil wells and then the bacteria were allowed to proliferate in the reservoirs for 15–20 days. During this time, the bacteria multiplied further and started producing metabolite such as organic acid biosurfactant, bio-solvent and biopolymer that push the oil out.

OTBL is currently providing MEOR technology to ONGC, OIL and other producing companies on turnkey basis.

MICROBIAL ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY (MEOR)

  • Indian Patent No.197554 and US Patent no. 748456
  • MEOR technology has been applied in 97 wells.

Application of microbes for enhanced oil production from oil wells