Application of geo-microbial prospecting method for finding oil and gas reservoirs

doi:10.1007/s11707-014-0448-5

Front. Earth Sci.

2015, Vol. 9

Issue (1) : 40-50 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-014-0448-5

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Application of geo-microbial prospecting method for finding oil and gas reservoirs

M. A. Rasheed^1,^*(

),Syed Zaheer Hasan¹,P. L. Srinivasa Rao¹,Annapurna Boruah¹,V. Sudarshan²,B. Kumar¹,T. Harinarayana¹

1. Petroleum Research Wing, Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI), Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382007, India
2. Department of Applied Geochemistry, Osmaina University, Hyderabad 500007, India

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Abstract

Microbial prospecting of hydrocarbons is based on the detection of anomalous population of hydrocarbon oxidizing bacteria in the surface soils, indicates the presence of subsurface oil and gas accumulation. The technique is based on the seepage of light hydrocarbon gases such as C₁–C₄ from the oil and gas pools to the shallow surface that provide the suitable conditions for the development of highly specialized bacterial population. These bacteria utilize hydrocarbon gases as their only food source and are found enriched in the near surface soils above the hydrocarbon bearing structures. The methodology involves the collection of soil samples from the survey area, packing, preservation and storage of samples in pre-sterilized sample bags under aseptic and cold conditions till analysis and isolation and enumeration of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria such as methane, ethane, propane, and butane oxidizers. The contour maps for the population density of hydrocarbon oxidizing bacteria are drawn and the data can be integrated with geological, geochemical, geophysical methods to evaluate the hydrocarbon prospect of an area and to prioritize the drilling locations thereby reducing the drilling risks and achieve higher success in petroleum exploration. Microbial Prospecting for Oil and Gas (MPOG) method success rate has been reported to be 90%. The paper presents details of microbial prospecting for oil and gas studies, excellent methodology, future development trends, scope, results of study area, case studies and advantages.

Keywords hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria microbial prospecting micro-seepage petroleum exploration

Corresponding Author(s): M. A. Rasheed

Online First Date: 15 July 2014 Issue Date: 04 February 2015

Cite this article:

M. A. Rasheed,Syed Zaheer Hasan,P. L. Srinivasa Rao, et al. Application of geo-microbial prospecting method for finding oil and gas reservoirs[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2015, 9(1): 40-50.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-014-0448-5
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2015/V9/I1/40

Fig.1 Hydrocarbon micro-seepage model and hydrocarbon-induced effects on soils and sediments (after Schumacher and Abrams, 1996).

Tab.1 Statistical analysis of propane oxidizing bacteria

Tab.2 Percentage analysis of propane oxidizing bacteria.

Fig.2 Pie diagram showing the percentage of propane oxidizing bacteria (POB).

Fig.3 Propane oxidizing bacterial anomaly map of study area, Gujarat.

Fig.4 Integrated map of Mesozoic sediment thickness with hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria

Fig.5 Integrated map of sediment resistivity with hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria.

Fig.6 Integrated map of lineament with hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria.

Fig.7 Integrated map of gravity with hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria.

Fig.8 An East-West Profile across the Saurashtra Peninsula showing the occurrence of a relatively thick sedimentary succession towards the western Part of the basin (after Harinarayana, 2008).

Fig.9 Generalized lithostratigraphy of the Lodhika-1 well (after Singh et al., 1997).

Fig.10 Map of Kietz Oil field detected by microbial prospecting techniques (After Wagner et al., 2002).

Fig.11 Results of drilled wells in microbial anomalies using microbial surveys for oil technique (MOST) (modified after Schumacher, 2003).

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