Patent · US Expired

Method of microbial enhanced oil recovery

US6758270B1 · kind B1 · utility

37Cited by

8References

47Claims

0Family size

Assignee

STATOIL ASA · NO

Inventors

Egil Sunde · Sandnes, NO
Terje Torsvik · Narvik, NO

Key dates

Filing date	Sep 17, 2002
Grant date	Jul 6, 2004
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Sep 17, 2022

Classification

Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
CPC primaryE21B43/20
WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method of microbial enhanced oil recovery for recovering oil from an oil-bearing rock formation (13). The method comprises: injecting water containing a source of vitamins, phosphates and an electron acceptor such as nitrate into the formation at first location (10) and allowing anaerobic bacteria, which are either already present in the formation (13) or which are introduced simultaneously to multiply using the oil as their main carbon source. This establishes a biomass layer (16) which acts to dissociate the oil from the rock formation (13). The dissociated oil is removed via an outlet (15).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.