Patent ID: 7833417
Filing Date: 2010-11-16
Classification: B09C

Abstract:
1. A method for improving hydrocarbon-water compatibility in a subsurface hydrocarbon-contaminated site comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a sample of hydrocarbon-exposed surface water comprising surface-active agents and further comprising mixed populations of microorganisms capable of producing surface-active agents; (b) optionally supplementing the surface water of (a) with at least one member selected from the group consisting of (1) at least one carbon/energy source, (2) at least one nitrogen source, and (3) a combination of (1) and (2), such that the final molar ratio of carbon to nitrogen in the surface water of (a) is at least about 6 to 1, thereby producing a supplemented surface water; (c) incubating the hydrocarbon-exposed surface water of (a) or the supplemented surface water of (b) under aerobic or anoxic conditions to produce conditioned water having a desired level of surface-active agents; and (d) injecting the conditioned water of (c) into said subsurface hydrocarbon-contaminated site such that the conditioned water comes in contact with hydrocarbons present at the site, thereby improving said hydrocarbon-water compatibility.