NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Petroleum Microbiology

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Meeting the ever-increasing demand for energy is a difficult challenge. Fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) are the main staple of our energy supply. A replacement by alternatives (wind, solar, biofuels) is not expected in the next 10 years, as these will only slowly grow in importance. In the meantime we must produce and consume fossil fuels in ways that are as economical and environmentally friendly as possible. On the production side microbiologycan definitively contribute. In the past 4 years the NSERC IRC in Petroleum Microbiology has: (i) developed understanding and technology to prevent formation of toxic hydrogen sulfide (souring) by nitrate injection in low temperature oil fields; (ii) demonstrated that microbes transform bisulfite, used to prevent pipeline corrosion, to corrosive sulfur making the cure worse than the disease, and that microbes producing acetic acid from steel are active in corrosion; (iii) found that oil sands outcrops harbor a high fraction of thermophilic microbes, due to the high temperatures (60C) reached in these environments on hot summer days. Based on these successes, continuing research is proposed in three areas in collaboration with 11 industry partners. In the area of Sulfur Cycle Management, we will quantify the contributions of the near injection wellbore region and of the bulk of the reservoir to souring in high-temperature oil reservoirs. In the area of Corrosion Prevention we will determine whether oxidation of acetic acid, or preventing its formation, is a promising strategy to enhance pipeline safety, whereas in the area of Improved Production we will use the catalytic power of (thermophilic) microbes to lower the environmental impact of bitumen production from oil sands. The training of a large number of HQP in Petroleum Microbiology, will also contribute to continued responsible development of Canada's fossil fuel resources.