Sunday, April 29, 2007
1B-71

Presence of extremophile bacteria for Meor in Mexican oil reservoirs

Ana Muñoz1, Gladys Castorena2, Teresa Roldan1, Patricia Olguin1, and Simón López1. (1) Ingenieria Molecular, Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas 152, Mexico D.F., Mexico, (2) Procesos y Reactores, Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas 152, Mexico D.F., Mexico

After the application of primary and secondary recovery at least 60% of the oil remains in the oilfield (1). Furthermore a critique factor in Mexican oil industry is the oil production declination in the main oilfields.
To increment the hydrocarbon production in the oilfield it is necessary to develop and to implement tertiary enhanced recovery technologies environmental, technical and economically efficient, in this sense the Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) is an able alternative for oil recovery.
The aim of this work was to obtain extremophile bacteria whose metabolites improve the oil recovery.
Oil and water samples of a Mexican oilfield were cultured in 14 selective media in anaerobia conditions and hydrocarbon presence at different temperatures (60, 70 and 80º C). It was analyzed as a function of time the production of: Bio-surfactants, gases (CO2 and methane) acids and solvents among others.
By analysis of 170 cultures it was found the following bacteria: 8 methanogenic, 2 fermentative, 3 nitrate-reducing, 5 tiosulphate-reducing, 5 sulphate-reducing and 2 iron reducing; all of them capable to grow at 60, 70 and 80º C, as well as to produce metabolites with potential application in MEOR.