Enhanced Oil Recovery Mechanism Mediated by Reduced Miscibility Pressure Using Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacteria During CO 2 Flooding in Tight Oil Reservoirs

Chengjun Wang (), Xinxin Li, Juan Xia, Jun Ni, Weibo Wang, Ge Jin and Kai Cui ()
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Chengjun Wang: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
Xinxin Li: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
Juan Xia: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
Jun Ni: Research Institute of Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum (Group) Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710075, China
Weibo Wang: Research Institute of Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum (Group) Co., Ltd., Xi’an 710075, China
Ge Jin: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
Kai Cui: School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: CO 2 flooding technology for tight oil reservoirs not only effectively addresses the challenge of low recovery rates, but also facilitates geological CO 2 sequestration, thereby achieving the dual objective of enhanced CO 2 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 CO 2 , 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 CO 2 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 CO 2 flooding enhanced by PHDB improved oil recovery by 17.7% compared to conventional CO 2 flooding. This research provides a novel technical approach for the green and cost-effective development of tight oil reservoirs with CO 2 immiscible flooding.

Keywords: tight oil reservoirs; immiscible CO 2 flooding; minimum miscibility pressure; petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria; enhancing oil recovery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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