MANY crude oil constituents are biodegradable in the presence of oxygen; however, a substantial anaerobic degradation has never been demonstrated1,2. An unusually low content of n-alkanes in oils of certain deposits is commonly attributed to selective utilization of these hydrocarbons by aerobic microorganisms3,4. On the other hand, oil wells and production fluids were shown to harbour anaerobic sulphate-reducing bacteria58, but their actual electron donors and carbon sources were unknown. On the basis of nutritional properties of various bacterial isolates it was assumed that fatty acids and H2 are potential electron donors for sulphate reduction in situ58. Here we demonstrate that hydrocarbons in crude oil are used directly by sulphate-reducing bacteria growing under strictly anoxic conditions. A moderately thermophilic pure culture selectively utilizesn-alkanes in oil for sulphate reduction to sulphide. In addition, a mesophilic sulphate-reducing enrichment culture is shown to oxidize alkylbenzenes in oil. Thus, sulphate-reducing bacteria utilizing aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons as electron donors may present a significant source of sulphide in oil deposits and oil production plants.

Anaerobic oxidation of hydrocarbons in crude oil by new types of sulphate-reducing bacteria

Emulsification is one of the important processes in chemical flooding to mobilize the residual oil in wells following secondary recovery. Oil displacement efficiency is enhanced and volumetric sweep efficiency is increased by engineering the interactions of the supporting chemicals used with the geological formations present in the wells. Polymers and surfactants are often applied to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) as emulsification displacement. However, polymers are limited by poor temperature and salt tolerance, while surfactants have a high cost. In this contribution, we report on the use of lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) as Pickering emulsifiers obtained from enzymatic hydrolysis of lignin powders to apply in EOR. The interfacial activity of LNPs prepared this way is greatly improved, which substantially promotes its emulsification ability. We show that kerosene emulsified with different concentrations of LNPs can form stable Pickering emulsions, and the emulsions can be stored for up to 6 months. In addition, due to the pH responsive character of lignin, rapid oil–water separation can be achieved by alkali demulsification. This enables the reuse of lignin suspension under pH control, which provides a new platform for the application of green and low-cost flooding, employing LNPs in EOR. 

Lignin Nanoparticles as Highly Efficient, Recyclable Emulsifiers for Enhanced Oil Recovery

Abstract The amphiphilic chemical structure of native lignin, composed by a hydrophobic aromatic core and hydrophilic hydroxy groups, makes it a promising alternative for the development of bio‐based surface‐active compounds. However, the severe conditions traditionally needed during biomass fractionation make lignin prone to condensation and cause it to lose hydrophilic hydroxy groups in favour of the formation of C−C bonds, ultimately decreasing lignin's abilities to lower surface tension of water/oil mixtures. Therefore, it is often necessary to further functionalize lignin in additional synthetic steps in order to obtain a surfactant with suitable properties. In this work, multifunctional aldehyde‐assisted fractionation with glyoxylic acid (GA) was used to prevent lignin condensation and simultaneously introduce a controlled amount of carboxylic acid on the lignin backbone for its further use as surfactant. After fully characterizing the extracted GA‐lignin, its surface activity was measured in several water/oil systems at different pH values. Then, the stability of water/mineral oil emulsions was evaluated at different pH and over a course of 30 days by traditional photography and microscopy imaging. Further, the use of GA‐lignin as a surfactant was investigated in the formulation of a cosmetic hand cream composed of industrially relevant ingredients. Contrary to industrial lignins such as Kraft lignin, GA‐lignin did not alter the color or smell of the formulation. Finally, the surface activity of GA‐lignin was compared with other lignin‐based and fossil‐based surfactants, showing that GA‐lignin presented similar or better surface‐active properties compared to some of the most commonly used surfactants. The overall results showed that GA‐lignin, a biopolymer that can be made exclusively from renewable carbon, can successfully be extracted in one step from lignocellulosic biomass. This lignin can be used as an effective surfactant without further modification, and as such is a promising candidate for the development of new bio‐based surface‐active products.

/pdf/extraction-and-surfactant-properties-of-glyoxylic-acid-2sj2iql6.pdf

Extraction and Surfactant Properties of Glyoxylic Acid‐Functionalized Lignin

Construct a stable super-hydrophobic surface through acetonitrile extracted lignin and nano-silica and its application in oil-water separation

Systematic investigation of the physicochemical properties of eco-friendly biobased anionic-nonionic surfactants for enhanced oil recovery

A series of eco-friendly anionic–nonionic surfactant lignin polyether sulfonates (LPES) based on alkali lignin from the paper-making industry was prepared through alkoxylation, allylation, and sulf...

Synthesis and Physicochemical Investigation of Anionic–Nonionic Surfactants Based on Lignin for Application in Enhanced Oil Recovery

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Synthesis and Physicochemical Investigation of Anionic–Nonionic Surfactants Based on Lignin for Application in Enhanced Oil Recovery