Volume 1 (2025) 

The research on the mechanisms and applications of microorganisms and their metabolites in enhancing oil recovery in low-permeability reservoirs

Chengyue Jiang, Shanhu Sun, Hui Chen, Pingfan Zhang

Volume 1 (2025), Article ID: eip1v0718a 

Published: 2025-07-18 (Received: 2025-04-15; Revised: 2025-07-02; Accepted: 2025-07-16)

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16059951    

Citation

Jiang C, Sun S, Chen H, Zhang P. The research on the mechanisms and applications of microorganisms and their metabolites in enhancing oil recovery in low-permeability reservoirs. Engineering Innovation and Practice, 2025, 1, eip1v0718a.

Abstract

Low-permeability reservoirs are characterized by low reservoir permeability and poor fluid mobility, resulting in long-term low recovery efficiency. This necessitates the development of efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies. This study focuses on microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) technology, selecting Bacillus subtilis BS3096 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa LZ3-2 as model microorganisms to systematically evaluate the functions and mechanisms of their metabolites (lipopeptides and rhamnolipids) in improving oil recovery. Laboratory-simulated imbibition experiments were conducted to explore the critical roles of biosurfactants in reducing oil-water interfacial tension, altering rock wettability, and optimizing imbibition pathways, with comparisons to chemical surfactants. Results showed that lipopeptide biosurfactants significantly reduced the oil-water interfacial tension from 0.8848 mN/m to 0.2055 mN/m and decreased the contact angle from 116.4° to 42.8°, transforming rock wettability from oil-wet to water-wet and increasing oil recovery to 60%, outperforming chemical surfactants. Additionally, microbial cells achieved selective plugging of large pores in cores, directing imbibition fluids toward small pores in low-permeability zones, thereby further enhancing oil displacement efficiency. This study not only highlights the potential application value of microbial metabolites in improving oil recovery in low-permeability reservoirs but also provides scientific evidence and technical support for the industrial application of MEOR technology, offering practical insights for the development of efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly EOR techniques.

Keywords

microbial enhanced oil recovery, low-permeability reservoirs, biosurfactants, oil-water interfacial tension, oil recovery efficiency

References

[1] Cao C, Ma Q. Residual oil distribution characteristics in high water cut period reservoirs: An overview. Advances in Resources Research, 2024, 4(2), 143-156.

[2] Feng Y, Li Y, Wang K, et al. A review of the applications of big data and artificial intelligence in oilfield reservoir and fluid dynamics simulation: Feature analysis and development optimization. Advances in Resources Research, 2025, 5(1), 46-61.

[3] Liu L, Zhang X, Wei X, et al. Classification and evaluation method for remaining oil in ultra-high water cut period. Petroleum Geology and Recovery Efficiency, 2023, 29(5), 83-90.

[4] Jiao Y, Ji J, Yang Y, et al. Big data and artificial intelligence-based numerical simulation and optimization of microbial enhanced oil recovery: Model development, algorithm application, and prospects. Advances in Resources Research, 2025, 5(2), 551-568.

[5] Wang W. Research progress and development trends of microbial oil recovery technology. Petroleum Geology and Recovery Efficiency, 2021, 28(2), 1-9.

[6] She Y, Shu C, Fu J, et al. Mechanisms of promoting crude oil mobilization in the microbial enhanced oil recovery process. Science Technology and Engineering, 2023, 23(22), 9331-9340.

[7] Fu J, Liu Y, Zhang C, et al. Microbial and metabolite-enhanced imbibition recovery in low permeability reservoirs. Oilfield Chemistry, 2024, 41(2), 302-309.

[8] Wang J, Li J, Liu J, et al. Application research of biosurfactants in oilfield enhanced oil recovery technology. Oil & Gas Geology, 2023, 44(1), 123-130.

[9] Zhou L, Zhao X, Sun W, et al. Research progress of microbial enhanced oil recovery technology and its application in low permeability reservoirs. Petroleum Science and Technology, 2022, 50(3), 56-63.

[10] Zhang M, Zhang Z, Gao Y, et al. Application research of lipopeptide biosurfactants in oilfield development. Oil-Gas Field Surface Engineering, 2022, 41(4), 45-51.

[11] Zhong W, Wen Y, Hou J. Research progress of lipopeptide biosurfactants for enhanced oil recovery. Oilfield Chemistry, 2024, 41(3), 553-562.

[12] Yuan S, Han H, Wang H, et al. Research progress and prospects of new methods for enhanced oil recovery in oilfield development. Petroleum Exploration and Development, 2024, 51(4), 841-854.

[13] Zhang W, Zhao K, Wu M. Application and progress of microbial enhanced oil recovery technology in low permeability reservoirs. Petroleum Science and Technology, 2022, 39(5), 26-34.

[14] Liu H, Gao Y, Li N. Wettability alteration based on biosurfactants and its role in oilfield development. Oil & Gas Engineering, 2022, 41(6), 41-47.

[15] Chen Z, Lin J, Ding M, et al. Wetting modification mechanism of rhamnolipid at the liquid-solid interface. Oilfield Chemistry, 2023, 40(4), 668-675.

[16] Li J, Zhang F, Wang P. Application progress of microbial enhanced oil recovery technology in low permeability reservoirs. Petroleum Engineering, 2023, 43(2), 12-20.

[17] Liu W, Chen J, Zou Y. Research on reservoir wettability alteration and recovery enhancement based on biosurfactants. Acta Petrolei Sinica, 2022, 53(4), 58-65.

[18] Zhou T, Li D, Yang K. Discussion on microbial enhanced oil recovery technology and its application in tight oil reservoirs. Oil & Gas Technology, 2022, 49(3), 75-82.

[19] Hu J, Shu Q, Sun G, et al. Succession law of indigenous microorganisms in reservoirs and its influence on the oil displacement effect. Journal of China University of Petroleum (Edition of Natural Science), 2019, 43(1), 108-114.

[20] Wang M, Li X, Zhang J. Application research of biosurfactants in petroleum recovery enhancement. Petroleum Engineering, 2023, 45(6), 58-65.

[21] Chen H, Zhao F, Li X. Comparative study of chemical and biosurfactants and their application in oil reservoirs. Acta Petrolei Sinica, 2022, 54(5), 72-80.

[22] Zhao L, Liu P. Research progress and application prospects of microbial enhanced oil recovery technology. Oil & Gas Technology, 2022, 50(1), 20-30.

[23] Wan L, Li S, Huang H, et al. Application of biosurfactants and their compound systems in tertiary oil recovery. Chinese Journal of Bioprocess Engineering, 2024, 22(3), 271-277.