PROCESS FOR STIMULATING PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN FROM PETROLEUM IN SUBTERRANEAN FORMATIONS

摘要

A process for stimulating microbial hydrogen production in a petroleum-bearing subterranean formation, comprising: (a) analyzing one or more components of the formation to determine characteristics of the formation environment; (b) detecting the presence of a microbial consortium, comprising at least one fermentative syntrophic microorganism, within the formation; (c) assessing whether the formation microorganisms are currently active; (d) determining whether the microbial consortium comprises one or more fermentative syntrophic microorganisms; (e) characterization of one or more fermentative syntrophic microorganism of the consortium, and comparing the one or more characterized organisms with at least one known characterized known microorganism having one or more known physiological and ecological characteristics; (f) characterizations of one or more hydrogen consuming microorganism, such as (but not exclusively) methanogens and sulphate reducers, of the consortium, and comparing the one or more characterized microorganisms with at least one known characterized, known microorganism having one or more known physiological and ecological characteristics; (g) using information obtained from steps (a) through (e) for determining an ecological environment that promotes in situ microbial degradation of petroleum and promotes microbial generation of hydrogen by at least one fermentative syntrophic microorganism of the consortium; (h) using information obtained from steps (a) and (f), if methanogenic, sulphate reducing, or other hydrogen consuming microorganisms are present, for determining an ecological environment that inhibits in situ microbial degradation of hydrogen by at least one hydrogen-oxidizing microorganism of the consortium; (i) modifying the formation environment based on the determinations of step (g) and (h), if methanogenic sulphate reducing or other hydrogen-oxidizing microorganisms are present, to stimulate microbial conversion of petroleum to hydrogen; and (j) removal of the hydrogen generated from the sites of generation, so as to maintain an energetically feasible microbial conversion of petroleum to hydrogen.