title: [Microbiological processes in a high-temperature oil field].
abstract: Thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) oxidizing lactate, butyrate, and C12-C16 n-alkanes of oil at a temperature of 90 degrees C were isolated from samples of water and oil originating from oil reservoirs of the White Tiger high-temperature oil field (Vietnam). At the same time, no thermophiles were detected in the injected seawater, which contained mesophilic microorganisms and was the site of low-temperature processes of sulfate reduction and methanogenesis. Thermophilic SRB were also found in samples of liquid taken from various engineering reservoirs used for oil storage, treatment, and transportation. These samples also contained mesophilic SRB, methanogens, aerobic oil-oxidizing bacteria, and heterotrophs. Rates of bacterial production of hydrogen sulfide varied from 0.11-2069.63 at 30 degrees C and from 1.18-173.86 at 70 degrees C micrograms S/(1 day); and those of methane production, varied from 58.4-100 629.8 nl CH4/(1 day) (at 30 degrees C). The sulfur isotopic compositions of sulfates contained in reservoir waters and of hydrogen sulfide of the accompanying gas indicate that bacterial sulfate reduction might be effective in the depth of the oil field.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. 60-Letiya Oktyabrya 7 k. 2, Moscow, 117811 Russia.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Rozanova
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Borzenkov
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Tarasov
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Suntsova
authors.forename: Ch L
authors.initials: ChL
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Beliaev
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Ivanov
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D009821:Oils; D010578:Petroleum; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism*; D014744:Vietnam; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D009821:Oils; D010578:Petroleum; D013455:Sulfur