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Two-Dimensional Physical Simulation of the Seepage Law of Microbial Flooding

Author

Listed:
  • Yongheng Zhao

    (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    Institute of Porous Flow and Fluid Mechanics, Langfang 065007, China)

  • Jianlong Xiu

    (Institute of Porous Flow and Fluid Mechanics, Langfang 065007, China
    Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Lixin Huang

    (Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Lina Yi

    (Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Yuandong Ma

    (Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing 100083, China)

Abstract

The study of seepage laws during microbial enhanced oil recovery helps to elucidate the mechanisms behind microbial flooding, and the use of large-scale physical simulation experimental devices can more objectively and accurately investigate the seepage laws of microbes in porous media, and evaluate the oil displacement efficiency of microbial systems. In this study, physical simulation experiments of microbial flooding were conducted via a slab outcrop core, and the biochemical parameters such as the concentration of Bacillus subtilis , nutrient concentration, surface tension, and displacement pressure data were tracked and evaluated. The analysis revealed that the characteristics of the pressure field change during microbial flooding and elucidates the migration rules of microbes and nutrients, as well as the change rule of surface tension. The results show that after the microbial system is injected, cells and nutrients are preferentially distributed near the injection well and along the main flow paths, with the bacterial adsorption and retention capacity being greater than those of the nutrient agents. Owing to the action of microorganisms and their metabolites, the overall pressure within the model increased, From the injection well to the production well, the pressure in the model decreases stepwise, and the high-pressure gradient zone is mainly concentrated near the injection well. The fermentation mixture of Bacillus subtilis increased the injection pressure by 0.73 MPa, reduced the surface tension by up to 49.8%, and increased the oil recovery rate by 6.5%.

Suggested Citation

  • Yongheng Zhao & Jianlong Xiu & Lixin Huang & Lina Yi & Yuandong Ma, 2025. "Two-Dimensional Physical Simulation of the Seepage Law of Microbial Flooding," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:5:p:1246-:d:1604724
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiaoluan Yu & Hua Li & Zhiyong Song & Weiyao Zhu, 2023. "Long-Term Pore-Scale Experiments on MEOR by Surfactant-Producing Microorganisms Reveal the Altering Dominant Mechanisms of Oil Recovery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Mingzheng Qiao & Fan Zhang & Weiqi Li, 2025. "Rheological Properties of Crude Oil and Produced Emulsion from CO 2 Flooding," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Youssef E. Kandiel & Gamal Attia & Farouk Metwalli & Rafik Khalaf & Omar Mahmoud, 2025. "Innovative Role of Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles and Surfactant in Optimizing Interfacial Tension for Enhanced Oil Recovery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-14, January.
    4. Marzuqa Quraishi & Shashi Kant Bhatia & Soumya Pandit & Piyush Kumar Gupta & Vivek Rangarajan & Dibyajit Lahiri & Sunita Varjani & Sanjeet Mehariya & Yung-Hun Yang, 2021. "Exploiting Microbes in the Petroleum Field: Analyzing the Credibility of Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-30, August.
    5. Yang Yang & Wenchao Liu & Jifei Yu & Chen Liu & Yanfeng Cao & Mingkai Sun & Menglong Li & Zicheng Meng & Xinjiang Yan, 2024. "Technology Progress in High-Frequency Electromagnetic In Situ Thermal Recovery of Heavy Oil and Its Prospects in Low-Carbon Situations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-19, September.
    6. Xiaoran Chen & Qingfeng Hou & Yifeng Liu & Gaohua Liu & Hao Zhang & Haojie Sun & Zhuoyan Zhu & Weidong Liu, 2025. "Experimental Study on Surfactant–Polymer Flooding After Viscosity Reduction for Heavy Oil in Matured Reservoir," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-19, February.
    7. Moon Sik Jeong & Young Woo Lee & Hye Seung Lee & Kun Sang Lee, 2021. "Simulation-Based Optimization of Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery with a Model Integrating Temperature, Pressure, and Salinity Effects," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-20, February.
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