Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/J016888/1
[ENERGY] The role of syntrophic communities in the oil industry; understanding anaerobic oil biodegradation, oil conversion to methane and souring
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Professor I Head, Newcastle University, Civil Engineering and Geosciences
- Grant held at:
- Newcastle University, Civil Engineering and Geosciences
- Science Area:
- Earth
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Earth
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- None
- Abstract:
- Anaerobic microbial process are of great significance in the oil industry. Anaerobic biodegradation of crude oil over geological time has led to the development of the world's vast heavy oil deposits and understanding what controls anaerobic hydrocarbon degradation based on laboratory experiments and field data is an important step towards identifying geological settings where biodegraded oil is likely (or more importantly, unlikely) to occur. This has implications for upstream activities such as exploration but also may be important for oil production by identifying areas in heterogeneous oil fields where the fluid properties are likely to be most conducive to production. Moreover the conversion of oil to methane as a means to enhance energy recovery from reservoirs where conventional recovery is declining or unconventional resources also relies upon syntrophic microbial interactions and a prelude to enhancing the rates of this process is an understanding of the processes. Souring and corrosion are also caused by the activity of anaerobic microorganisms in petroleum reservoirs and the extent to which sulfide production by these organisms is driven by hydrocarbon degradation is unknown. This project specifically addresses these issues by determining the rates and controlling factors for anaerobic oil biodegradation in a range of settings. This brings basic science approaches to real practical issues in the oil industry with huge economic impacts. Conducting research on the syntrophic communities responsible for these process in petroleum systems using laboratory incubations, field measurements and a range of chemical, microbiological and metagenomic/metatranscriptomic analyses will provide new insights on how these processes potentially might be controlled in the field. This is an excellent example of the complimentary skills from academia and industry being exploited to tackle significant real world problems for oil producers.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/J016888/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- DTG - directed
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Open CASE
This training grant award has a total value of £76,869
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Fees | Total - RTSG | Total - Student Stipend |
|---|---|---|
| £13,812 | £14,773 | £48,285 |
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