Microbiology in the Petroleum Industry

Davis, John; Updegraff, David M.

doi:10.1128/mmbr.18.4.215-238.1954

Cited by 36 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…In fact, Strawinski (1954) described a method of oil prospecting using methane. Also, work in the U. S. S. R. with methane oxidizers was discussed by Davis and Updegraff (1954). The comparative results with methane and ethane simply show that, with the method employed, significant areal contrasts of ethane oxidizers in soil are more readily observed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Areal Contrasts in the Abundance of Hydrocarbon Oxidizing Microbes in Soils

Davis¹,

Raymond²,

Stanley³

1959

Applied Microbiology

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An abundance of hydrocarbon oxidizing microbes is found, not unexpectedly, in areas where extraordinary quantities of hydrocarbons exist in the biosphere. In particular, bacteria of the genus Mycobacterium develop in areas of oil and gas production and in areas of petroliferous gas seeps. One of these species, Mycobacterium paraffinicum n. sp., shows a high degree of specificity for petroleum hydrocarbons, as reported by Davis et al. (1956). Mlethods for demonstrating hydrocarbon oxidizing microbes in the soil strongly influence observed results. This paper describes some of the experimental field work performed by the Field Research Laboratory of the Magnolia Petroleum Company. Widely separated areas and a variety of soils were studied. Ethane and methane were employed for cultivating the hydrocarbon oxidizers in the laboratory. The objectives of this study were threefold: (a) to test various methods for detectinig hydrocarbon oxidizing microbes in the soil; (b) to determine the relative abundance of ethane oxidizers that exist in areas of petroliferous gas emanationi, particularly with respect to the magnitude of areal contrasts; anid (c) to observe the effect of seasonal soil moisture on the hydrocarbon oxidizing microflora. MIATERIALS ANI) METHODS Three general methods were developed for detecting ethane or methane oxidizing microbes in soil: (a) manometric measurement of gas uptake, (b) colony development on mineral-salts agar plates sprinkled with soil, and (c) radioassay, including radioautography. The gas uptake and soil plating methods used in the isolation and study of Ml. paraffinicum n. sp. have been described previously (Davis et al., 1956). Radioassay for hydrocarbon oxidizing microbes is described in the patent literature by Davis (1957). Sampling areas. Areas overlying oil pools were selected for determining the effect of gaseous hydrocarbon emanation on the soil microbial flora. Sometimes the

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Areal Contrasts in the Abundance of Hydrocarbon Oxidizing Microbes in Soils

Davis¹,

Raymond²,

Stanley³

1959

Applied Microbiology

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“…One type of microbial group with these desirable qualities is the ultramicrobacteria (UMB), as they have a diameter of less than 0.3 µm that would permit them to penetrate into the oil-bearing formation without creating plugging problems. According to Davis and Updegraff (1954), it is imperative that the poreentry diameter be at least twice the diameter of the microbial cells that are injected into the reservoir, otherwise plugging will occur. However, a study from 1992 implemented formation of UMB by starvation of Pseudomonas sp.…”

Section: Ultramicrobacteria (Umb)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of Microorganisms in the Recovery of Oil From Recalcitrant Oil Reservoirs: Current State of Knowledge, Technological Advances and Future Perspectives

2020

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The depletion of oil resources, increasing global energy demand, the current low, yet unpredictable, price of oil, and increasing maturity of major oil fields has driven the need for the development of oil recovery technologies that are less costly and, where possible, environmentally compatible. Using current technologies, between 20 and 40% of the original oil in a reservoir can be extracted by conventional production operations (e.g., vertical drilling), with secondary recovery methods yielding a further 15-25%. Hence, up to 55% of the original oil can remain unrecovered in a reservoir. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is a tertiary recovery process that involves application of different thermal, chemical, and microbial processes to recover an additional 7-15% of the original oil in place (OOIP) at an economically feasible production rate from poor-performing and depleted oil wells. EOR can significantly impact oil production, as increase in the recovery rate of oil by even a small margin could bring significant revenues without developing unconventional resources. Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is an attractive, alternative oil recovery approach, which is claimed to potentially recover up to 50% of residual oil. The in situ production of biological surface-active compounds (e.g., biosurfactants) during the MEOR process does not require vast energy inputs and are not affected by global crude oil prices. Compared to other EOR methods, MEOR can be an economically and more environmentally friendly alternative. In this review, the current state of knowledge of MEOR, with insights from discussions with the industry and other stakeholders, is presented and in addition to the future outlook for this technology.

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“…Bacillus, and Vibrio, as well as yeasts and molds have also been found (Duffett et al, 1943;Pivnick, 1952;Davis and Updegraff, 1954). In addition, coliform bacteria persist in these emulsions.…”

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confidence: 98%

The Coexistence of Pathogens and Pseudomonads in Soluble Oil Emulsions1

Samuel-Maharajah¹,

Pivnick²,

Engelhard³

et al. 1956

Applied Microbiology

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A cooperative study was made among four industrial laboratories and these laboratories. The efficacy of mixed-spore culture and soil burial, followed by breaking-strength and flexibility measure, were evaluated as procedures and criteria to determine resistance to microbiological deterioration of variously plasticized vinyl-coated fabrics. Data presented indicate, for the coated fabrics studied, that soil burial for 14 days, followed by the Clark flexibility measure, afforded best reproducibility for measure of degradation of these materials. Sheeting, duck, and sateen base fabrics may be protected against deterioration when solubilized copper-8-quinolinolate and phenylmercuric acetate at 1.0 per cent and 0.5 per cent, respectively (based on the weight of the plasticizer) are incorporated into the vinyl coat. Coatings based on unprotected duck and sateen evidenced no deterioration when dioctylphthalate, alone, was used as the plasticizer; the same coating based on sheeting, however, did deteriorate. No explanation for this apparent anomaly is offered. Resistance to biological deterioration was impaired when methyl acetylricinoleate was mixed with di-octylphthalate as the plasticizer. All coated fabrics considered, a larger measure of resistance to the degradative effects of fungi and bacteria is obtained with a fungicide added to the base fabric or to the plasticizer, compared to the response of unprotected base fabric coated with vinyl plasticized with a resistant plasticizer. There is no evidence that addition of fungicide to the base fabric and the addition of bactericide and fungicide to the plasticizer is more efficacious than treatment of either the base fabric or the plastic coating. The feasibility of testing coated fabrics with regard to relative weight of fabric and thickness of coating is suggested by these data, but must be confirmed by intensive study. REFERENCES ABRAMS, E. 1948 Microbiological deterioration of organic materials: its prevention and method of test. Nat. Bur.

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Microbiology in the Petroleum Industry

Cited by 36 publications

References 15 publications

Areal Contrasts in the Abundance of Hydrocarbon Oxidizing Microbes in Soils

Areal Contrasts in the Abundance of Hydrocarbon Oxidizing Microbes in Soils

Use of Microorganisms in the Recovery of Oil From Recalcitrant Oil Reservoirs: Current State of Knowledge, Technological Advances and Future Perspectives

The Coexistence of Pathogens and Pseudomonads in Soluble Oil Emulsions1

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