Back to results
US 9,869,166 B2Granted
Microbial enhanced oil recovery method
AssigneeGeo Fossil Fuels, LLC
InventorsWilliam J. Kohr, David J. Galgoczy, Zhaoduo Zhang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides methods for increasing the viscosity of the drive fluid for displacing oil from a subterranean formation by the use of microorganisms selected or modified for the ability to produce cell free polymers without the formation of any significant bioplugging biofilm or capsule.
Claims12
A method of enhancing oil recovery comprising:
- (a) introducing into an oil reservoir a microorganism capable of growing in an environment of waterflood fluid;
- wherein said oil reservoir comprises indigenous bioplug-forming microorganisms;
- and
- wherein said microorganism is genetically modified to (i) be deficient in its ability to produce a flow-restricting bioplug and (ii) to produce soluble cell free biopolymers in situ within the oil reservoir;
- and
- (b) water-flooding said reservoir with a drive fluid containing a compound toxic to said indigenous bioplug-forming microorganisms to reduce the concentration of said indigenous bioplug-forming microorganisms in the oil reservoir.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.