Patent ID: 8826975
Filing Date: 2014-09-09
Classification: C09K,E21B,Y02W

Abstract:
1. A method of microbial enhanced oil recovery from an oil-bearing formation, said method comprising: creating specifications for water to be introduced into said oil-bearing formation, said specifications including a specification for biochemical oxygen demand and a specification for total organic carbon; injecting microbes into said oil bearing formation to enhance oil recovery; treating said water, outside of said oil bearing formation to meet said specifications prior to introduction into said oil-bearing formation, wherein said treating is based, at least in part, upon establishing at least one condition in said oil-bearing formation that facilitates microbial growth, of said microbes, wherein said microbial growth enhances movement of oil from said oil-bearing formation as a result of microbial surfactants, said treating including a reduction of said water's biochemical oxygen demand to meet said specification for biochemical oxygen demand and reduction of total organic carbon to meet said specification for total organic carbon; injecting said treated water into said oil-bearing formation to establish said at least one condition; and introducing oxygen into said oil-bearing formation for consumption by said microbes.