1. PAPER NO: 144
International Conference on Advances in Chemical Engineering (ICACE 2015)
NITK Surathkal, India – Dec 20-22, 2015
Evaluation of bio-surfactant mediated Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery using sand packed column
A Rajesh Kanna, Sathyanarayana N Gummadi and G Suresh Kumar
Presenting author
A. Rajesh Kanna
Research Scholar
Petroleum Engineering Program
Department of Ocean Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India

2. Oil recovery mechanism
Primary
Pressure force
10 – 15 % recovery
Secondary
Water flood
20 – 30 % recovery
Tertiary
EOR
10 % recovery
Chemical
Thermal
Microbial
Others
Leaching, Electrical
Polymer
Surfactant
Bio-surfactant
Ramakrishna Sen, Prog Energ Combust (2008), 34:

3. Schematic MEOR http://www.teriin.org
Commercial bio-surfactants: surfactin, lipopeptide, terhalose and rhamnolipid

4. Objectives To produce bio-surfactant using Bacillus subtilis MTCC 2422
To study the effect of temperature and pH on bio-
surfactant production
Bio-surfactant stability studies
Application of bio-surfactant in oil recovery using
sand column study

5. Samples after fermentation
Bacteria in plate
Production medium
Incubation cum shaker
Samples after fermentation
Centrifugation
Tensiometer

6. Effect of temperature on bio-surfactant production
Cell dry weight (g/l)
1.7
Bio-surfactant (g/l)
1.4
Interfacial Tension (mN/m) 17

7. Effect of pH on bio-surfactant production
Cell dry weight (g/l)
1.3
Bio-surfactant (g/l)
0.8
Interfacial Tension (mN/m) 18

8. Bio-surfactant stability studies
Effect of pH
Effect of temperature
Effect of NaCl
Effect of metal ions
Bio-surfactant was stable at
Basic pH
Temperature °C
Salinity up to 50 g/l NaCl
20 g L-1 of metal ions

9. Oil Recovery - Sand column experiment
Column packed with sand
Column filled with oil
Fluid injection - Water followed by Bio-surfactant
Column packed with sand
Column filled with oil
Fluid injection - Water followed by Triton X 100
% Oil recovered
Water - 28
Bio-surfactant – 11
Triton X

10. Conclusions Optimal conditions for Bacillus subtilis bio-surfactant
production
Source: Sucrose and Ammonium sulphate
Temperature: 30 °C, pH: 7.0
Bio-surfactant was stable with temperature, NaCl and
metal ions
Bio-surfactant can recover 11% while Triton X 100
recovered 8%

11. Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras
Acknowledgements
Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT Madras
Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras
Dr. Indumathi N Nambi, Civil Engineering, IIT Madras
Applied & Industrial Microbiology Lab members, friends and family
ICACE 2015 organisation committee
Session Chair Members

12. Thank You