The present invention refers to a
biotechnological process that enhances oil
recovery of a 14 to 25
API Gravity oil contained in
carbonate-containing and / or clayey sandstone porous rock systems with
low permeability (7 to 100 mD), thus focused to
petroleum wells associated to zones with low
recovery factor. The process utilizes the indigenous extremophile microorganisms activity from the oil reservoir and an IMP culture, as well as its metabolites (gases, acids, solvents and surfactants), which improve oil mobility and are able to develop at 60 to 95° C. temperatures, 7 to 154.6 Kg / cm2 (100 to 2,200 psi) pressures and NaCl content from 5,000 to 45,000 ppm, in anaerobic conditions. The
biotechnological process of the present invention includes:
indigenous microorganisms sampling, collecting and characterization from the reservoir; formulation of culture media; selection, enrichment, activation and preservation of such microorganisms, as well as
biostimulation (
indigenous microorganisms) and
bioaugmentation (IMP culture) to increase the
metabolite production, useful for oil
recovery in a porous media impregnated with oil in
carbonate-containing and / or clayey sandstone porous systems, with one or several cycles and confinement periods from 5 to 10 days, to increase oil recovery. Experimental tests show that the
biotechnological process of the present invention supplies an oil recovery increase up to 30%, additional to that obtained in secondary recovery processes.