Microbially Improved Oil Recovery with both a surfactant producing and a non surfactant producing variant of Rhodococcus sp 094 has been tested through coreflooding laboratory tests. A goniometer was also used to measure interfacial tension and wettability for the fluid systems involved in the corefloodings. Significant reductions of interfacial tension have been measured for both variants of the bacteria. Wettabilities also changed and bacterial systems were more oil wet than their brine counterpart. The effect of bacteria concentration on overall recovery also became apparent.

Keywords:
enhanced recovery, variant, experiment, dodecane, mechanism, Upstream Oil & Gas, concentration, surfactant, bacteria, Symposium
Subjects:
Drilling Fluids and Materials, Improved and Enhanced Recovery, Formation Evaluation & Management, Microbial methods
Copyright 2006, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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