5 Reasons Why Microbes Outperform Chemicals in Saltwater Disposals and Waterfloods

Microbes are a powerful solution in fighting corrosion, enhancing oil recovery and more. Here are five reasons why they outperform traditional chemical solutions:

1. Microbes Naturally Remove oxygen in the system

• Facultative anaerobic, meaning they grow/survive in both presence/absence of oxygen
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• Oxygen scavengers used by chemical companies are worse, man-made versions of natural microbe properties
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• Oxygen is a catalyst for corrosion, so the goal is to remove as much as possible
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2. Removes and Prevents Under Deposit Corrosion

• Natural microbe byproducts, remove scale, iron sulfide, hydrocarbons, and more
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• Chemicals cannot do this on their own - it requires acidizing or mechanical removal
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• Microbes produce a polysaccharide film on surfaces, preventing corrosion and leaks and extending
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3. Promotes Separation of oil and water

• Separate solids from oil and reduce interfacial tension
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• Reduced oil carryover, provides more sellable oil and boosts well injectivity
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• Microbes strip hydrocarbons off solids and then dissolve the solids allowing the oil to separate
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4. Colonizing vs. Parts per million (pPM)

• Microbes set up a colony throughout the system by reproduction
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• Chemicals work in ppm, and operators must set up a pump to maintain the correct ppm and strength
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• Microbes are always at full strength and evenly dispersed
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5. Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR)

• Chemicals are restricted to where water flows and cannot move independently
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• Microbes move on their own, reaching places chemicals can't
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• They break tension there and release residual oil in an extremely cost-effective process
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