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US 7,740,063 B2Granted
Method for identification of novel anaerobic denitrifying bacteria utilizing petroleum components as sole carbon source
AssigneeE.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsRobert D. Fallon, Linda L. Hnatow, Scott Christopher Jackson, Sharon Jo Keeler
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Abstract
A method for the phylogenetic identification of indigenous anaerobic denitrifying bacterial species in an oil well is described. The method avoids the process of enrichment of microbial samples.
Claims13
A method for identifying microorganisms from an oil reservoir useful for oil recovery comprising:
- (a) providing an environmental sample from an oil reservoir comprising an indigenous microbial population;
- (b) identifying the microbial genera present in said environmental sample by phylogenetic typing;
- (c) selecting one or more known pure culture species from a non-oil reservoir source corresponding to the genera identified in (b);
- and
- (d) screening the pure culture species identified in (c) for relevant functionalities to identify those microbial genera useful for enhanced oil recovery, wherein the relevant functionalities are selected from the group consisting of:
- the ability to use at least one component available in the oil reservoir as a carbon source;
- the ability to use at least one component in injected or produced water from the oil reservoir;
- the capability of achieving a desired growth rate in the presence of oil;
- and the ability to grow optimally in an oil well environment;
- and combinations thereof.
7 more elements
A method for enhancing oil recovery from an oil well comprising:
- (a) providing an environmental sample from an oil reservoir comprising an indigenous microbial population;
- (b) identifying the microbial genera present in said environmental sample by phylogenetic typing;
- (c) selecting one or more known pure culture species from a non-oil reservoir source corresponding to the genera identified in (b);
- (d) screening the pure culture species identified in (c) for relevant functionalities to identify those microbial genera useful for enhanced oil recovery, wherein the relevant functionalities are selected from the group consisting of:
- the ability to use at least one component available in the oil reservoir as a carbon source;
- the ability to use at least one component in injected or produced water from the oil reservoir;
- the capability of achieving a desired growth rate in the presence of oil;
- and the ability to grow optimally in an oil well environment;
- and combinations thereof;
- and
- (e) inoculating into an oil well at least one culture of the microbial genera identified in (d) under conditions whereby oil recovery is enhanced.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.