# US 8,783,345 B2 · Microbial enhanced oil recovery delivery systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,345 B2 - Document ID: US8783345B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/166,382 - Filed: 2011-06-22 - Published: 2012-12-27 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-22 - Assignees: Glori Energy Inc. - Applicants: John Babcock; Bud Bierhaus; Mark Mayfield; Thomas Ishoey - Inventors: John Babcock; Bud Bierhaus; Mark Mayfield; Thomas Ishoey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783345B2 ## CPC - E21B 43/16: Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons - C09K 8/582: characterised by the use of bacteria - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE ## Abstract A method of microbial enhanced oil recovery from a wellbore in an oil-bearing formation that includes injecting water into the oil-bearing formation via a tubing string in the wellbore and introducing oxygen into the oil-bearing formation for consumption by microbes in the oil-bearing formation. The oxygen introduction includes delivering the oxygen into the oil-bearing formation without having the introduced oxygen contact the walls of the tubing string and without having the introduced oxygen contact the injected water within the tubing string while the injected water is in the tubing string. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of microbial enhanced oil recovery from a wellbore in an oil-bearing formation, said method comprising: storing water and delivering said water to said well bore; injecting water into said oil-bearing formation via a tubing string in said wellbore; and introducing oxygen into said oil-bearing formation for consumption by microbes in said oil-bearing formation, wherein said oxygen introduction comprises introducing said oxygen in gaseous phase into said oil-bearing formation without having said introduced oxygen contact a wall of said tubing string and without having said introduced oxygen contact said injected water when said injected water is within said tubing string, and wherein equipment for said storing and delivering does not contact said introduced oxygen. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said microbes comprise microbes that are native to said oil-bearing formation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said microbes comprise microbes that have been injected into said oil-bearing formation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said oxygen introduction comprises injecting said oxygen via a capillary tubing running from an oxygen supply equipment to said oil-bearing formation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein said capillary tubing is run inside said tubing string within said wellbore. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein said capillary tubing is run outside said tubing string within said wellbore. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein said capillary tubing has a cylindrical cross-sectional area that has a diameter between ¼ inch and ⅜ inch. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein said capillary tubing comprises materials selected from the list consisting of: stainless steel and polymers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 further comprising: injecting microbes into said oil-bearing formation via said capillary tubing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 further comprising: injecting nutrients into said oil-bearing formation via said capillary tubing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein said capillary tubing has a cross-sectional shape selected from the list consisting of: circle, ellipse and polygon and combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: passing said water through a precipitate formation and removal unit configured to expose said water to oxygen, prior to said injecting; and separating, from said water, precipitates that form as a result of said exposure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein said precipitate formation and removal unit comprises a floatation unit. ### Claim 14 A method of microbial enhanced oil recovery from a wellbore in an oil-bearing formation, said method comprising: injecting water into said oil-bearing formation via a tubing string in said wellbore; and introducing oxygen into said oil-bearing formation for consumption by microbes in said oil-bearing formation, wherein said oxygen introduction comprises introducing a fluid comprising oxygen into said oil-bearing formation without having said introduced oxygen contact a wall of said tubing string and without having said introduced oxygen contact said injected water when said injected water is within said tubing string, wherein said oxygen introduction comprises injecting said fluid comprising oxygen via a capillary tubing into said oil-bearing formation; and injecting nutrients into said oil-bearing formation via said capillary tubing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said oxygen introduction comprises injecting microbes into said oil-bearng formation via said capillary tubing. ### Claim 16 A method of microbial enhanced oil recovery from a wellbore in an oil-bearing formation, said method comprising: injecting water into said oil-bearing formation via a tubing string in said wellbore; introducing oxygen into said oil-bearing formation for consumption by microbes in said oil-bearing formation, wherein said injected water is exposed to said introduced oxygen when said water is in a location in relation to a near wellbore area of said wellbore such that formation of precipitates as a result of said exposure occurs outside of said near wellbore area, wherein an amount of time between said exposure and the formation of said precipitates is more than an amount of time required for said exposed water to flow through said near wellbore area. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein said microbes comprise microbes that are native to said oil-bearing formation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein said microbes comprise microbes that have been injected into said oil-bearing formation. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein said oxygen introduction comprises injecting said oxygen via a capillary tubing running from an oxygen supply equipment to said oil-bearing formation. ### Claim 20 A delivery system for microbial enhanced oil recovery from an oil-bearing formation, said system comprising: a water supply system configured to supply water to a wellhead of said oil bearing formation; a tubing string within a wellbore, said tubing string configured to transport said water from said wellhead to said oil-bearing formation; an oxygen supply system configured to supply gaseous oxygen for delivery to said oil-bearing formation; and a capillary tubing connected to said oxygen supply system, said capillary tubing configured to: deliver gaseous oxygen from said oxygen supply system to said oil-bearing formation, prevent said gaseous oxygen from contacting a wall of said tubing string, and prevent said gaseous oxygen from contacting liquid within said tubing string during said delivery. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20 wherein said oxygen supply system comprises a control system for controlling an injection rate of gaseous oxygen into said oil bearing formation. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21 wherein said control system is configured to adjust said injection rate in response to a parameter selected from the list consisting of: concentration of oxygen in water from said water supply system, organic carbon of water from said water supply system, temperature in said oil-bearing formation and pressure in said oil-bearing formation. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22 wherein said control system comprises a transmitter for transmitting information to a remote device and a receiver for receiving, from said remote device, instructions to adjust said injection rate. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23 wherein said transmitted information comprises information that is indicative of a parameter selected from the list consisting of: concentration of oxygen in water from said water supply system, organic carbon of water from said water supply system, temperature in said oil-bearing formation and pressure in said oil-bearing formation. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20 wherein said capillary tubing is run inside said tubing string. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20 wherein said capillary tubing is run outside said tubing string. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20 wherein said capillary tubing has a cross-sectional shape selected from the list consisting of: circle, ellipse and polygon. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20 wherein said capillary tubing has a cylindrical cross-sectional area and has a diameter between ¼ inch and ⅜ inch. ### Claim 29 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20 wherein said capillary tubing comprises materials selected from the list consisting of: stainless steel and polymers. ### Claim 30 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20 wherein said capillary tubing is located within said tubing string so that water flowing from said water supply system, through said tubing string, is only exposed to oxygen from said capillary tubing when said water is in a location in relation to a near wellbore area of said wellbore such that formation of precipitates as a result of said exposure occurs outside of said near wellbore area. ### Claim 31 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20 further comprising: a precipitate formation and removal unit configured to expose said water to oxygen and separate precipitates that form as a result of said exposure. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31 wherein said precipitate formation and removal unit comprises a floatation unit. ### Claim 33 A delivery system for microbial enhanced oil recovery from an oil-bearing formation, said system comprising: a water supply system configured to supply water to a wellhead of said oil bearing formation; a tubing string within a wellbore, said tubing string configured to transport said injection water from said wellhead to said oil-bearing formation; an oxygen supply system configured to dissolve gaseous oxygen in a fluid while said fluid is in surface equipment; and a capillary tubing configured to deliver said fluid comprising oxygen from said surface equipment to said oil-bearing formation, prevent said oxygen from contacting the walls of said tubing string, and prevent said oxygen from contacting liquid within said tubing string during said delivery. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The system of claim 33 wherein said oxygen supply system comprises a control system for controlling an injection rate of gaseous oxygen into said fluid. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The system of claim 34 wherein said control system is configured to adjust said injection rate in response to a parameter selected from the list consisting of: concentration of oxygen in water from said water supply system, organic carbon of water from said water supply system, temperature in said oil-bearing formation and pressure in said oil-bearing formation.