Funding: Lundin Energy/Aker BP, Norwegen

Project period: 2020 - 2024

Cooperations:

Prof. Alexander J. Probst, Universität Duisburg-Essen

The microbiology of petroleum deposits has so far only received very little attention. This project aims to extract DNA from crude oil and uses genomic methods (16s-rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, metagenomics) to identify the organisms living there and to reconstruct their metabolic processes. At the same time, attempts are being made to cultivate the microorganisms in order to carry out more detailed physiological studies.

When producing crude oil, water is often pumped into the reservoir to stabilize the pressure and increase production. Thereby, large amounts of microorganisms are introduced from the surface into the reservoir, which influence or completely overprint the autochthonous microbial communities. Through cooperation with Aker BP, we receive samples from an oil reservoir into which no water has been pumped so far. The data obtained from this reservoir should help to better understand the ecology of these ecosystems on the one hand, and provide diagnostic tools for reservoir management on the other.