Energies (Feb 2025)
Enhanced Oil Recovery Mechanism Mediated by Reduced Miscibility Pressure Using Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacteria During CO<sub>2</sub> Flooding in Tight Oil Reservoirs
Abstract
CO2 flooding technology for tight oil reservoirs not only effectively addresses the challenge of low recovery rates, but also facilitates geological CO2 sequestration, thereby achieving the dual objective of enhanced CO2 utilization and secure storage. However, in the development of continental sedimentary tight oil reservoirs, the high content of heavy hydrocarbons in crude oil leads to an elevated minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) between crude oil and CO2, thereby limiting the process to non-miscible flooding. Conventional physical and chemical methods, although effective in reducing MMP, are often associated with high costs, environmental concerns, and limited efficacy. To address these challenges, we propose a novel approach utilizing petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria (PHDB) to biodegrade heavy hydrocarbons in crude oil. This method alters the composition of crude oil, thereby lowering the MMP during CO2 flooding, facilitating the transition from non-miscible to miscible flooding, and enhancing oil recovery. Results demonstrated that, after 7 days of cultivation, the selected PHDB achieved a degradation efficiency of 56.4% in crude oil, significantly reducing the heavy hydrocarbon content. The relative content of light-saturated hydrocarbons increased by 15.6%, and the carbon atom molar percentage in crude oil decreased from C8 to C6. Following the biodegradation process, the MMP of the lightened crude oil was reduced by 20.9%. Core flood experiments indicated that CO2 flooding enhanced by PHDB improved oil recovery by 17.7% compared to conventional CO2 flooding. This research provides a novel technical approach for the green and cost-effective development of tight oil reservoirs with CO2 immiscible flooding.
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