Process for the preparation of viscous water by action of micro-organisms

Abstract

Viscous water for use in oil extraction is produced continuously by bacterial action. A carbohydrate substrate, nitrogen-containing mineral salts and growth factors are introduced into a first fermenter chamber containing bacteria of the genus Rhizobium capable of excreting polysaccharides having viscosity increasing properties and aqueous product, from which the bacteria are separated, is collected from the outlet of this chamber and recycled to the inlet of chamber. Into a second viscosifier chamber there is introduced carbohydrate substrate for synthesis of polysaccharide and bacteria recovered from the first chamber in an amount approximately equal to that which is removed with the viscous product from the second chamber and there is collected from the outlet of the second chamber the viscous product at a rate approximately equal to that of the carbohydrate substrate at the inlet in order to maintain equilibrium in the system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.