Excellence in Enhanced Oil recovery: Microbiological Oil Recovery (MEOR)

 Project Team

Overview

 Dr. Saif Al-Bahry (Principal Investigator) from the Department of Biology College of Science, Dr. Ali Al-Bemani (Co-Investigator), and Dr. Yahya Al-Wahaibi (Co-Investigator) from the Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering have recently been awarded a grant of more than one million US dollars. In the current study, they will be investigating the possibility of using Microbiological process to enhance oil recovery. In addition to the above-mentioned investigators, the research group consist of Mr. Musallam Al-Mandhari (head of Process Production Chemistry, PDO), Prof. Lewis Brown (Mississippi State University, External Consultant), Dr. Abdulkader Elshafie (Department of Biology, Internal Consultant), Ms Aslila Al-Harthyl, and Ms Wafaa Al-Alawi (Department of Biology, technical officers). Ms. Bahja Al-Riyamy, and Ms. Aida Al-Lawati (M.Sc. Students Department of Biology)

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) Project undertaken by Sultan Qaboos University has been divided into four phases. In the first phase of the project, an intensive literature review was performed to underpin or elucidate the understanding of Microbial Technology and the drive mechanisms that the microbes enhance oil recovery and that could possibly be applied in the Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) Oil Fields.

First, the Microbial Technology and its possibility of being utilized in the oil fields have been studied. Thereafter recent laboratory applications and studies in the area of coreflooding were also explored to lead into the field experience in the method of either well stimulation or field wide microbial-flooding. Then, the mechanisms of Microbial activities were also reviewed with reference to up-to-date applications through a closer look during international “Research and Field” visits undertaken by the research group. The group visited the following institutions:

India: TATA Energy Research Institute (TERI)

Japan: Technology and Research Centre (TRC), Japan Oil, Gas and Metals Corporation (JOGMEC), Teikoku Oil Co. Ltd., Chugai Techno Corp., and Kyushu University

USA: Mississippi State University, Hughes Eastern Corporation and University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Austin, University of Oklahoma.

The idea was to pave the way to the set-up of an experimental apparatus that will be used to screen and compile a library of the Omani Oil Fields indigenous microbes for their growth, activities and compatibility and simulate Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery before embarking to any field application.

 At the end of the Phase I it was concluded that scientific knowledge of the fundamentals of microbiology must be coupled with an understanding of the geological and engineering aspects of oil fields in order to develop a meritorious MEOR technology. The goal the Phase-II is to develop information on the microflora indigenous to subterranean oil reservoirs, with special emphasis on their potential role in microbial enhanced oil recovery.