A Novel Approach to Enhance Crude Oil Recovery Ratio Using Selected Bacterial Species

The high viscosity and low flow properties of some crude oil make them difficult to extract from reservoirs. This study investigated the mechanisms responsible for enhancement recovery using fractured dolomite core models. Bacterial strains, Nocardia cyriacigeorgica, Bacillus species, Pseudomonasputida, isolated Libyan fields, had ability biotransform heavy by reducing its converting heavier components into lighter ones. efficiencies three bacterial strains were assessed sand-packed column experiments through injection bacteria mimic in-situ recovery. optimum biotransformation values Bouri determined as 77.1, 61.2, 61.1% sp., P. putida, respectively, at 55 °C. Viscosity analyses showed that these resulted in reduction two different temperatures 37 highest residual was about 11.3% sp. confirmed selected species capable displacing additional under simulated field conditions.