Prevention and remediation of petroleum reservoir souring and corrosion by treatment with virulent bacteriophage
US8168419B2 · kind B2 · utility
4Cited by
5References
13Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 31, 2010 |
| Grant date | May 1, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 31, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC12N2795/00031
- WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
Petroleum reservoir souring, caused by microbially induced production of hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur compounds, and the attendant corrosion are remediated by isolating bacteriophage(s) specific for the problematic bacteria (target bacteria) and adding an effective amount of such bacteriophage(s) to water introduced into or resident in the reservoir to kill at least some of the target bacteria. Suitable virulent bacteriophage(s) may be indigenous to the water, located in surrounding areas, or taken from a known banked stock. Means of concentrating solutions of bacteriophage(s) are also disclosed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.