Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) is a biological based technology consisting in manipulating function or structure, or both, of microbial environments existing in oil reservoirs. The ultimate aim of MEOR is to improve the recovery of oil entrapped in porous media while increasing economic profits. MEOR is a tertiary oil extraction technology allowing the partial recovery of the commonly residual two-thirds of oil, thus increasing the life of mature oil reservoirs.
MEOR is a multidisciplinary field incorporating, among others: geology, chemistry, microbiology, fluid mechanics, petroleum engineering, environmental engineering and chemical engineering. The microbial processes proceeding in MEOR can be classified according to the oil production problem in the field:
1) well bore clean up removes mud and other debris blocking the channels where oil flows through;
2) well stimulation improves the flow of oil from the drainage area into the well bore; and
3) enhanced water floods increase microbial activity by injecting selected microbes and sometimes nutrients.
From the engineering point of view, MEOR is a system integrated by the reservoir, microbes, nutrients and protocol of well injection.
Indigenous Micro-organism Flooding Technology
Indigenous micro-organisms are the relatively stable microbial community in reservoirs, present in water flooded reservoirs of more than 2 years in production. The micro-organisms are introduced into the reservoir by the injection water and adapt to the reservoir environment, and is normally in a dormant state because of the lack of suitable breeding conditions.
If provided appropriate nutrition agents and with appropriate technology, we can activate beneficial bacteria in the formation, suppress harmful bacteria, and the bacterial activities and products can improve the formation pressure, enhance residual oil flow properties, and enhanced oil recovery. QPT is the leading expert in this technology and Professor Renzi Lin is the pioneering scientist that established the methods and techniques required for successful Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) as proven in fields owned and operated by CNPC.
Micro-organism Gel Combination Flooding Technology
The reproduction and metabolism of micro-organisms in hydrocarbon formations can change some physico-chemical properties of crude oil, thus reduce the viscosity and improve the fluidity of the crude oil, and improve oil displacement efficiency. Combined with moderate gel plugging hyper-tonic water channels, this will lead to the expansion of the bacterium liquid swept volume. The synergistic effect can further improve the role of micro-organisms in reservoirs, improve water flooding development effect, and achieve the high and stable yield of an oil field.
Microbial Oil Survey Technology (MOST)
Qyrin has developed microbe based techniques and methods designed for prospecting and oil surveying. We have conducted surveys in the onshore oil fields in Shannxi province near the provincial border with Sichuan province using our proprietary MOST and achieved very high success rates and accuracy in identifying and locating economically viable oil reserves. Our Beijing team have also completed oil prospecting activities with very promising and descriptive results in Boa Hai bay which is an offshore oil field. Our MOST engagements to date have been primarily from SINOPEC Group and CNOOC. MOST is a lower cost alternative and also complimentary method to conventional exploration and prospecting methods. It can serve as a cursory early stage tool to narrow down high probability locations within large prospect acreage with speed and efficiency leading to lower prospecting costs and risks, and timely decision making.
