An Overview of Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery in Nigeria

The use of microbial metabolites by interfacial tension reduction and wettability alteration mechanisms, for improved oil recovery from oil reservoirs, especially in mature oil fields have always been advocated for as a cheaper and environmentally-safe method of increasing oil production. Although microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) in some advanced nations have come close to commercial applications, Nigeria is yet to venture into the microbial enhancement of oil recovery. Nigeria as a nation has had its fair share of the global dilemma of decreased oil production caused by unrecovered oil in oil reserves, resulting in adverse effects on its economy energy status. Uncertainties on the efficiency of MEOR in practical reservoirs, failure of petroleum engineers and scientists to form multidisciplinary teams, and lack of adequate understanding of MEOR processes are some factors that have slowed down the process of adopting MEOR as an alternative to other enhanced oil recovery methods...