PROCESS FOR ENHANCED RECOVERY OF CRUDE OIL FROM OIL-WELLS AT 91°C OR HIGHER TEMPERATURES USING HYPERTHERMOPHILIC INDIGENOUS OR INJECTED MICROORGANISMS/ CONSORTIA

摘要

The present invention relates to novel microbial method for the enhanced production of crude oil from oil reservoirs. In the present invention, crude oil is produced from high temperature oil reservoirs at 91°C or above using microbial consortium developed from formation water or previously isolated hypethermophilic microorganisms capable of producing organic acids, volatile fatty acids, biosurfactants, solvents, exopolysaccharides, etc. This process is economical and may to be used after primary and secondary extraction of oil from oil wells. In this novel microbial process, microbial consortium is grown to obtain large cell mass in specially designed nutrient medium and injected in oil wells along with nutrient medium and water. After allowing the microbial culture to thrive in oil wells at 91°C or above and production of microbial metabolites in oil wells for a period of 14-21 days, crude oil production is enhanced. Finally oil is extracted along with excessive gas or with the help of a pump.