Microbially enhanced thermal oil recovery

Abstract

A method and a system for recovering oil from currently inaccessible oil containing geological units by activating the deep biosphere microbial seed bank. Nutrient and thermal enhancement of microorganisms in oil containing geological units allows for stimulation of inactive and / or dormant microorganisms such that they proliferate and produce gas. The oil viscosity that is decreased by heat, along with the gas pressure produced by activated microbes which allows previously inaccessible oil to flow toward production wells

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