Skip to main content
Log in

Dynamics of Microbial Processes in the Stratal Waters of the Romashkinskoe Oil Field

  • Published:
Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The dynamics of the microbial processes developing in parallel with the exploitation of the Romashkinskoe oil field (Tatarstan) were studied in two areas differing in the degree of stratal water freshening. Flooding of the strata, in conjunction with purposeful measures on stratal microflora activation, was shown to increase the microbial population density and activate both methanogenesis and sulfate reduction; the latter process was limited by the low sulfate concentration. Development of anaerobic processes correlated with changes in acetate concentration in the stratal water. High mineralization (over 200 g/l) inhibited the stratal water microflora even if other conditions were favorable. Isotopic analysis of the carbonate carbon showed that the bicarbonate concentration increased in the stratal water due to microbial degradation of oil hydrocarbons and further participation of the biogenic carbon dioxide in dissolution of the carbonate cement of the oil-bearing strata. In strongly desalinated stratal water, the proportion of the newly formed bicarbonate was as high as 80%.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Rozanova, E.P., Belyaev, S.S., Ivanov, M.V., Mats, A.A., Kulik, E.S., and Mamedov, Yu.G., Microbiological Methods for the Enhancement of Oil Recovery, Obzor Inform. Ser. Neftepromyslovoe delo (Information Digest, Ser. Oil Production), Moscow: VNIIOENG, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Lazar, I., MEOR Field Trials Carried out over the World during the Last 35 Years, Dev. Petrol. Sci., 1991, vol. 31, pp. 485–530.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Finnerty, W.R. and Singer, M.E., Microbial Enhancement of Oil Recovery, Bio/Technology, 1983, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 47–54.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Belyaev, S.S., Borzenkov, I.A., Milekhina, E.I., Charakhch'yan, I.A., and Ivanov, M.V., Development of Microbial Processes in Exploited Strata of the Romashkinskoe Oil Field, Mikrobiologiya, 1990, vol. 59, no. 6, pp. 1118–1126.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Borzenkov, I.A., Belyaev, S.S., Miller, I.A., Davydova, I.A., and Ivanov, M.V., Methanogenesis in the Highly Mineralized Stratal Waters of the Bondyuzhskoe Oil Field, Mikrobiologiya, 1997, vol. 66, no. 1, pp. 122–129.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Belyaev, S.S., Borzenkov, I.A., Glumov, I.F., Ibatullin, R.R., Milekhina, E.I., and Ivanov, M.V., Activation of the Geochemical Activity of Stratal Microflora as the Basis of a Biotechnology for Enhancement of Oil Recovery, Mikrobiologiya, 1998, vol. 67, no. 6, pp. 851–858.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Belyaev, S.S. and Ivanov, M.V., Contemporary Geochemical Activity of Microorganisms in an Exploited Oil Field and the Possibility of Its Regulation, Geokhimiya, 1990, no. 11, pp. 1618–1625.

  8. Ivanov, M.V., Belyaev, S.S., Laurinavichus, K.K., Obraztsova, A.Ya., and Gorlatov, S.N., Distribution and Geochemical Activity of Microorganisms in a Water-Flooded Oil Field, Mikrobiologiya, 1982, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 336–341.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Postgate, J.R., Media for Sulfur Bacteria, Laboratory Practice, 1966, no. 15, pp. 1239–1244.

  10. Trüper, H.G. and Schlegel, H.G., Sulfur Metabolism in Thiorhodaceae: I. Quantitative Measurements of Growing Cells of Chromatium okenii, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 1964, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 225–238.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Oremland, R.S. and Capone, O.G., Use of Specific Inhibition in Biogeomicrobial Ecology, Adv. Microb. Ecol., 1988, vol. 10, pp. 285–384.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kenely, W. and Zeikus, J.G., One-Carbon Metabolism in Methanogen: Evidence for Synthesis of a Two-Carbon Cellular Intermediate and Unification of Catabolism in Methanosarcina barkeri, J. Bacteriol., 1981, vol. 146, pp. 133–140.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Belyaev, S.S., Wolkin, R., Kenlay, W.R., DeNiro, M.J., Epstein, S., and Zeikus, J.G., Methanogenic Bacteria from the Bondyuzhskoe Oil Field: General Characterization and Analysis of Stable-Carbon Isotopic Fractionation, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 1983, vol. 45, pp. 1239–1244.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Charakhch'yan, I.A., Mityushina, L.L., Kuznetsova, V.G., and Belyaev, S.S., Morphology and Fine Structure of Methanococcoides euhalobius and the Role of Calcium in Its Morphogenesis, Mikrobiologiya, 1989, vol. 58, no. 5, pp. 825–830.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Laurinavichus, K.K. and Belyaev, S.S., Determination of the Intensity of Microbial Methane Production by Radioisotopic Method, Mikrobiologiya, 1978, vol. 47, no. 6, pp. 1115–1117.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Esikov, A.D., Metodicheskie ukazaniya po pretsizionnomu mass-spektrometricheskomu metodu opredeleniya izotopnogo sostava ugleroda i vodoroda (Methodical Recommendations on Precision Mass-Spectrometric Method for Determination of the Isotopic Composition of Carbon and Hydrogen), Moscow: VNIIYaGG, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Obraztsova, A.Ya., Shipin, O.V., Bezrukova, L.V., and Belyaev, S.S., Characterization of the Coccoid Methylotrophic Methanogen Methanococcoides euhalobius sp. nov., Mikrobiologiya, 1987, vol. 56, no. 4, pp. 661–665.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Davydova, I.A., Harmsen, H.J.M., Stams, A.J.M., Belyaev, S.S., and Zehnder, A.J.B., Taxonomic Description of Methanococcoides euhalobius and Its Transfer to Methanohalophilus Genus, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 1997, vol. 71, pp. 313–318.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Zabrodin, D.P., Ziskin, E.A., Mamotina, G.S., Surguchev, M.L., and Gorbunov, A.T., Metody izvlecheniya ostatochnoi nefti (Methods for Extraction of Residual Oil), Moscow: Nedra, 1991, p. 347.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Borzenkov, I.A., Telitchenko, M.M., Milekhina, E.I., Belyaev, S.S., and Ivanov, M.V., Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria and Their Activity in Formation Waters of Oil Fields in Tatar SSR, Mikrobiologiya, 1991, vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 558–564.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tarasov, A.L., Borzenkov, I.A., Milekhina, E.I. et al. Dynamics of Microbial Processes in the Stratal Waters of the Romashkinskoe Oil Field. Microbiology 71, 735–742 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021496326634

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021496326634

Navigation