title: Production, Characterization, and Application ofBacillus licheniformisW16 Biosurfactant in Enhancing Oil Recovery.
abstract: The biosurfactant production byBacillus licheniformisW16 and evaluation of biosurfactant based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) using core-flood under reservoir conditions were investigated. Previously reported nine different production media were screened for biosurfactant production, and two were further optimized with different carbon sources (glucose, sucrose, starch, cane molasses, or date molasses), as well as the strain was screened for biosurfactant production during the growth in different media. The biosurfactant reduced the surface tension and interfacial tension to 24.33 ± 0.57 mN m-1and 2.47 ± 0.32 mN m-1respectively within 72 h, at 40°C, and also altered the wettability of a hydrophobic surface by changing the contact angle from 55.67 ± 1.6 to 19.54°± 0.96°. The critical micelle dilution values of 4X were observed. The biosurfactants were characterized by different analytical techniques and identified as lipopeptide, similar to lichenysin-A. The biosurfactant was stable over wide range of extreme environmental conditions. The core flood experiments showed that the biosurfactant was able to enhance the oil recovery by 24-26% over residual oil saturation (Sor). The results highlight the potential application of lipopeptide biosurfactant in wettability alteration and microbial EOR processes.
authors.affiliation: Central Analytical and Applied Research Unit, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Sanket J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Yahya M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Al-Wahaibi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Saif N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Al-Bahry
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Abdulkadir E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Elshafie
authors.affiliation: Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Ali S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Al-Bemani
authors.affiliation: Central Analytical and Applied Research Unit, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Bahri
authors.affiliation: Petroleum Development Oman Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Musallam S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Al-Mandhari
keywords: Bacillus licheniformis; core flood; interfacial tension; lichenysin; microbial enhanced oil recovery; surface tension; wettability alteration