# US 2019/0169486 A1 · Compositions comprising and methods of making bio-polymers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0169486 A1 - Document ID: US20190169486A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/324,032 - Filed: 2017-08-21 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-10 - Assignees: Geo Fossil Fuels, LLC - Applicants: Geo Fossil Fuels, LLC - Inventors: Zhaoduo Zhang; William J. Kohr - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169486A1 ## CPC - C09K 8/588: characterised by the use of specific polymers {(polymeric surfactants C09K8/584)} - C12P 19/04: Polysaccharides, i.e. compounds containing more than five saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic bonds - C12P 19/06: Xanthan, i.e. Xanthomonas-type heteropolysaccharides - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - 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)} ## Abstract A method is provided for the production of an aqueous composition suitable for direct use in a water-flood oil recovery process, which comprises a clarified fermentation fluid containing at least one dissolved polysaccharide, along with the clarified fermentation fluid and aqueous compositions prepared by such method. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for the production of an aqueous composition suitable for direct use in a water-flood oil recovery process, which comprises a clarified fermentation fluid containing at least one dissolved polysaccharide, comprising the consecutive steps of: (a) culturing a polysaccharide-producing microorganism in an aqueous culture medium to produce an aqueous culture containing said dissolved polysaccharide therein; and (b) clarifying the resultant aqueous culture from step (a), the clarification being effected by an addition of least one soluble metal ion known to form insoluble precipitates with anions of sulfate, phosphate or carbonate in excess of the amount of said anions in the fermentation broth; and (c) incubating the metal ions with the fermentation broth to form a precipitate on the cells and cell debris; and (d) removing the precipitate by gravity settling and/or centrifugation, and recovering said resultant clarified fermentation fluid containing said dissolved polysaccharide, wherein said steps (a)-(d) follow each other in this order, without any intervening steps. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 consisting essentially of steps (a)-(d). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2) The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clarification treatment is effected by centrifugation of at least 4,000 g. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2, 3) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the polysaccharide-producing microorganism is a microorganism of the Xanthomonas type. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the clarified fermentation fluid has a polysaccharide concentration of 0.005 to 1% by weight and a viscosity of from 5 to 500 centipoises at the reservoir temperature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said precipitating agent is soluble salt of a metal ion known to form low solubility salts of sulfate, carbonate or phosphate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said precipitating agent is barium ion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said precipitating agent is strontium ion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said precipitating agent is calcium ion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said precipitating agent is zinc ion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said precipitating agent is lead ion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said precipitating agent is mercury ion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said precipitating agent is magnesium ion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the microorganism is Xanthomonas campestris. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of the Xanthomonas genus, particularly the Xanthomonas campestris, Xanthomonas begoniae, Xanthomonas pisi, Xanthomonas vesicatoriae, Xanthomonas carotae, Xanthomonas hederae, Xanthomonas incanae, Xanthomonas malvacearum, Xanthomonas phaseoli, Xanthomonas vasculorum, Xanthomonas vitians and Xanthomonas pelargonii species, of the Arthrobacter genus, particularly the Arthrobacter stabilis and Arthrobacter viscous species, of the Erwinia genus, particularly the Erwinia Tahitica species, of the Azotobacter genus, particularly the Azotobacter indicus species, etc. and fungi of the Sclerotium genus, particularly the Sclerotium glucanicum and Sclerotium rolfsii species. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) A clarified fermentation fluid obtained by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 15. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) The clarified fermentation fluid obtained by a method consisting essentially of steps (a)-(d) of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 15. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) An aqueous composition suitable for direct use in a water-flood oil recovery process, which comprises a clarified fermentation fluid containing at least one dissolved polysaccharide, said clarified fermentation fluid being obtained by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 15. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18) The aqueous composition of claim 18, wherein said clarified fermentation fluid is obtained by a method consisting essentially of steps (a)-(d) of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 15.