# US 2009/0260803 A1 · Identification, characterization, and application of shewanella putrefaciens (lh4:18), useful in microbially enhanced oil release > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260803 A1 - Document ID: US20090260803A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/105,690 - Filed: 2008-04-18 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-18 - Assignees: E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company - Inventors: Sharon Jo Keeler; Edwin R. Hendrickson; Linda L. Hnatow; Scott Christopher Jackson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260803A1 ## CPC - C02F 3/344: {for digestion of mineral oil} - C10G 1/00: Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal (mechanical winning of oil from oil-shales, oil-sand, or the like B03B) - C10G 32/00: Refining of hydrocarbon oils by electric or magnetic means, by irradiation, or by using microorganisms - C12N 1/20: Bacteria; Culture media therefor - C12N 1/205: Bacterial isolates - C12P 39/00: Processes involving microorganisms of different genera in the same process, simultaneously - E21B 43/16: Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons - C12R 2001/01: Bacteria or Actinomycetales {; using bacteria or Actinomycetales} - C12R 2001/38: Pseudomonas - Y10S 435/874: Pseudomonas - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - C12R: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES C12C - C12Q, RELATING TO MICROORGANISMS - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to isolation, identification and application of Shewanella putrefaciens strain LH4:18 that grows, under denitrifying anaerobic conditions, on crude oil as the sole carbon source. This organism assists in oil release from substrate in reservoir simulations when grown on either lactate or peptone as a carbon source. Shewanella putrefaciens strain LH4:18 can be used alone or in concert with other microorganisms to improve oil recovery. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An isolated microorganism designated as bacterial isolate Shewanella putrefaciens LH4:18 (ATCC No. PTA-8822). ### Claim 2 An oil recovery enhancing composition comprising: a) Shewanella putrefaciens LH4:18 (ATCC No. PTA-8822); b) one or more electron acceptors; and c) at least one carbon source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The composition of claim 2, wherein said at least one carbon source comprises oil or an oil component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The composition of claim 2, further comprising one or more additional microorganisms. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The composition of claim 4, wherein said one or more additional microorganisms are capable of growing on oil under denitrifying conditions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The composition of claim 5, wherein said one or more additional microorganisms comprises the bacterial isolate Pseudomonas stutzeri LH4:15 (ATCC No. PTA-8823). ### Claim 7 A method for improving oil recovery from an oil reservoir comprising: a) providing a composition comprising as bacterial isolate Shewanella putrefaciens LH4:18 (ATCC No. PTA-8822), and minimal medium comprising simple nitrates capable of promoting the growth of said isolate; and b) inoculating said reservoir with the composition of (a); wherein growth of said isolate, under denitrifying conditions, in the oil reservoir promotes improved oil recovery. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the composition of (a) further comprises one or more additional microorganisms capable of growing on oil under denitrifying conditions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein said one or more additional microorganisms comprises the bacterial isolate Pseudomonas stutzeri LH4:15 (ATCC No. PTA-8823). ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein oil recovery is improved by growth of bacterial isolate Shewanella putrefaciens LH4:18 (ATCC No. PTA-8822) resulting in one or more of the following: (1) alteration of the permeability of the subterranean formation to improve water sweep efficiency; (2) production of biosurfactants which decrease surface and interfacial tensions; (3) mediation of changes in wettability; (4) production of polymers which facilitate mobility of petroleum; (5) generation of gases that increase formation pressure; and (6) reduction of oil viscosity. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the gases of (5) comprise CO2. ### Claim 12 A method for promoting hydrocarbon bioremediation comprising applying bacterial isolate Shewanella putrefaciens LH4:18 (ATCC No. PTA-8822) to an area contaminated with hydrocarbons. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising applying one or more additional microorganism. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein said one or more additional microorganisms comprises the bacterial isolate Pseudomonas stutzeri LH4:15 (ATCC No. PTA-8823). ### Claim 15 A method for promoting oil pipeline maintenance comprising applying bacterial isolate Shewanella putrefaciens LH4:18 (ATCC No. PTA-8822) to an oil pipeline. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising applying one or more additional microorganisms to said pipeline. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein said one or more additional microorganisms comprises the bacterial isolate Pseudomonas stutzeri LH4:15 (ATCC No. PTA-8823).