Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery Training Course

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery Training Course

Introduction

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) Training Course is designed to equip oil and gas professionals with advanced knowledge and practical skills in microbial enhanced oil recovery, reservoir biotechnology, microbial reservoir stimulation, and sustainable petroleum production. As conventional oil recovery methods become increasingly challenged by declining reservoir pressure, rising production costs, and the need to maximize hydrocarbon recovery, MEOR offers an innovative approach to improving oil displacement and mobilizing residual oil through the application of selected microorganisms and their metabolic products. This comprehensive training course explores the scientific principles, engineering applications, and operational considerations of microbial enhanced oil recovery, including microbial growth and transport, biosurfactant production, biopolymer generation, biogas formation, reservoir wettability alteration, interfacial tension reduction, and selective plugging. Participants will gain insights into reservoir characterization, microbial screening, nutrient formulation, injection strategies, and compatibility assessment to determine the suitability of MEOR technologies for different reservoir conditions.

The course also emphasizes data-driven reservoir optimization, biotechnology innovation, sustainable oilfield operations, and cost-effective production enhancement. Through practical exercises, technical discussions, and industry-based case studies, participants will learn how to evaluate MEOR feasibility, monitor microbial activity, manage operational risks, and measure incremental oil recovery. The program examines the integration of microbial technologies with conventional waterflooding, chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR), reservoir simulation, and digital oilfield monitoring to support informed field-development decisions. Special attention is given to reservoir temperature, pressure, salinity, permeability, formation-water chemistry, microbial survival, and environmental considerations that influence project performance. By completing this training, participants will be better positioned to assess emerging MEOR technologies, develop field implementation plans, optimize recovery strategies, and contribute to improved reservoir productivity while supporting responsible resource utilization and long-term asset value.

Course Duration

5 days

Course Objectives

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the fundamental principles of Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) and its role in modern petroleum production.
2. Evaluate reservoir characteristics and identify suitable candidates for microbial EOR applications.
3. Analyze microbial metabolism and its influence on oil mobilization, displacement efficiency, and residual oil recovery.
4. Assess biosurfactant production mechanisms for reducing oil-water interfacial tension.
5. Evaluate biopolymer generation and selective microbial plugging for improving sweep efficiency.
6. Design microbial screening and laboratory testing programs for reservoir-specific applications.
7. Formulate appropriate nutrient injection strategies to stimulate indigenous reservoir microorganisms.
8. Analyze the effects of reservoir temperature, pressure, salinity, pH, and mineralogy on microbial performance.
9. Integrate MEOR techniques with conventional waterflooding and other enhanced oil recovery technologies.
10. Apply reservoir simulation concepts and production forecasting to estimate potential incremental oil recovery.
11. Develop microbial injection, monitoring, and performance evaluation plans for field implementation.
12. Identify operational, microbiological, environmental, and economic risks associated with MEOR projects.
13. Formulate cost-effective and sustainable MEOR development strategies using data analytics, performance indicators, and lifecycle economic assessment.

Target Audience

1. Reservoir engineers and reservoir management specialists.
2. Petroleum production engineers and well-performance engineers.
3. Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) engineers and technology specialists.
4. Microbiologists and biotechnology researchers working in petroleum applications.
5. Drilling, completion, and well-intervention engineers interested in reservoir stimulation.
6. Oilfield laboratory technicians, research scientists, and chemical specialists.
7. Oil and gas asset managers, project managers, and field-development planners.
8. Energy consultants, technical directors, and professionals responsible for sustainable production optimization.

Course Modules

Module 1: Fundamentals of Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery

• Definition, evolution, and technical principles of microbial enhanced oil recovery.
• Comparison of MEOR with thermal, chemical, gas-injection, and conventional waterflooding methods.
• Mechanisms of microbial oil mobilization and displacement improvement.
• Types of MEOR approaches: indigenous microbial stimulation and exogenous microbial injection.
• Key performance indicators, technology maturity, and field application considerations.
• Case Study: Evaluate a mature waterflooded oilfield to determine whether MEOR could provide an economically viable method for recovering additional residual oil.

Module 2: Reservoir Characterization and MEOR Screening

• Reservoir geology, pore structure, permeability, porosity, and fluid-distribution analysis.
• Effects of reservoir temperature, pressure, salinity, and pH on microbial viability.
• Formation-water chemistry, mineral composition, and microbial compatibility.
• Screening criteria for sandstone, carbonate, and mature depleted reservoirs.
• Reservoir candidate ranking using technical feasibility and economic indicators.
• Case Study: Compare two mature reservoirs with different salinity and temperature profiles to identify the more suitable candidate for an MEOR pilot.

Module 3: Microbial Ecology and Reservoir Biotechnology

• Reservoir microbiology and indigenous microbial community characterization.
• Aerobic and anaerobic microbial activity under subsurface conditions.
• Microbial growth kinetics, nutrient utilization, and metabolic pathways.
• Microbial adaptation, survival, transport, and retention within porous media.
• Biosafety, microbial compatibility, and control of undesirable metabolic effects.
• Case Study: Assess laboratory microbial community data to identify organisms with promising oil-recovery potential under reservoir-specific conditions.

Module 4: MEOR Mechanisms and Oil Mobilization

• Biosurfactants and their influence on oil-water interfacial tension.
• Biopolymers and microbial biomass for selective permeability modification.
• Biogas generation and its effects on reservoir pressure and oil displacement.
• Organic acids, solvents, and other microbial metabolites that influence oil recovery.
• Wettability alteration, residual oil mobilization, and improved sweep efficiency.
• Case Study: Investigate how biosurfactant production and selective plugging could improve recovery in a heterogeneous reservoir with uneven waterflood sweep.

Module 5: Laboratory Testing and MEOR Formulation Design

• Microbial screening, enrichment, and identification techniques.
• Core-flood experiments and laboratory evaluation of incremental oil recovery.
• Nutrient selection, concentration optimization, and injection-fluid compatibility.
• Measurement of microbial growth, metabolite production, and interfacial properties.
• Interpretation of experimental results and scale-up considerations.
• Case Study: Develop a laboratory testing program to compare alternative nutrient formulations and assess their effects on incremental oil recovery in representative core samples.

Module 6: MEOR Field Implementation and Injection Strategies

• Selection of microbial stimulation or microbial injection approaches.
• Design of nutrient slugs, injection schedules, and treatment volumes.
• Integration with existing water-injection systems and production facilities.
• Well selection, injectivity assessment, and operational risk management.
• Pilot design, implementation planning, and criteria for field-scale expansion.
• Case Study: Prepare a preliminary MEOR pilot plan for a mature waterflooded field, including candidate-well selection, injection sequencing, and operational decision criteria.

Module 7: Performance Monitoring, Reservoir Modeling, and Optimization

• Baseline production assessment and incremental recovery measurement.
• Monitoring microbial activity, nutrient consumption, and metabolite formation.
• Analysis of production rates, water cut, pressure response, and injection performance.
• Reservoir simulation, sensitivity analysis, and production forecasting.
• Application of digital oilfield data analytics to MEOR performance optimization.
• Case Study: Analyze a hypothetical MEOR pilot dataset to distinguish potential treatment-related production gains from normal reservoir fluctuations and other operational changes.

Module 8: MEOR Economics, Sustainability, and Advanced Applications

• Capital expenditure, operating costs, and lifecycle economic evaluation.
• Incremental oil recovery, net present value, and return-on-investment analysis.
• Environmental risk assessment, produced-water management, and microbial containment.
• Integration of MEOR with other EOR technologies and mature-field redevelopment.
• Emerging research, technology commercialization, and future opportunities in reservoir biotechnology.
• Case Study: Conduct a preliminary economic and environmental assessment of an MEOR project, comparing its expected performance against continued waterflooding and an alternative EOR strategy.

Training Methodology

• Interactive lectures and presentations.
• Group discussions and brainstorming sessions.
• Hands-on exercises using real-world datasets.
• Role-playing and scenario-based simulations.
• Analysis of case studies to bridge theory and practice.
• Peer-to-peer learning and networking.
• Expert-led Q&A sessions.
• Continuous feedback and personalized guidance.

Register as a group from 3 participants for a Discount

Send us an email: info@datastatresearch.org or call +254724527104 

Certification

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a globally- recognized certificate.

Tailor-Made Course

 We also offer tailor-made courses based on your needs.

Key Notes

a. The participant must be conversant with English.

b. Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with an Authorized Training Certificate

c. Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.

d. The course fee includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch and A Certificate upon successful completion of Training.

e. One-year post-training support Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.

f. Payment should be done at least a week before commence of the training, to DATASTAT CONSULTANCY LTD account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.