The biopolymer produced by Rhizobium viscosum CECT 908 is a promising agent for application in microbial enhanced oil recovery.

Autor: Couto MR; CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal., Gudiña EJ; CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: egudina@deb.uminho.pt., Ferreira D; CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal., Teixeira JA; CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal., Rodrigues LR; CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: New biotechnology [N Biotechnol] 2019 Mar 25; Vol. 49, pp. 144-150. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Nov 13.
DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2018.11.002
Abstrakt: Polymer flooding is one of the most promising techniques used to increase the productivity of mature oil reservoirs. Polymers reduce the mobility ratio of the injected water relative to the crude oil, improving the displacement of the entrapped oil and consequently, increasing oil recovery. Biopolymers such as xanthan gum have emerged as environmentally friendly alternatives to the chemical polymers commonly employed by the oil industry. However, in order to seek more efficient biomolecules, alternative biopolymers must be studied. Here, the applicability of a biopolymer produced by Rhizobium viscosum CECT 908 in Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) was evaluated. This biopolymer exhibited better rheological properties (including higher viscosity) when compared with xanthan gum. Its stability at high shear rates (up to 300 s -1 ), temperatures (up to 80 °C) and salinities (up to 200 g/L of NaCl) was also demonstrated. The biopolymer exhibited better performance than xanthan gum in oil recovery assays performed with a heavy crude oil, achieving 25.7 ± 0.5% of additional recovery. Thus the R. viscosum CECT 908 biopolymer is a promising candidate for application in MEOR.
(Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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