Background
Microbes have detrimental (increased souring and corrosion) and potentially beneficial (enhanced recovery, gasification) effects in the oil and gas industry. Reliable technologies involving microbes are now being implemented. For example nitrate injection, a technology which changes the microbial populations down hole, to reduce souring, is being applied field-wide and long-term off-shore in the North Sea and elsewhere by major oil and gas producers. Although successful in many seawater floods, the technology is not yet reliable in fields with produced water reinjection (PWR) such as those in the WCSB, indicating that more knowledge is needed. Further development of this novel technology will serve as a stepping stone for new microbiology-based ways to reduce souring and corrosion and improve production.

Project Description
In order to develop expertise in this area the University of Calgary is proposing to create a 5-year NSERC Industrial Research Chair (IRC) in Petroleum Microbiology under the auspices of ISEEE. The intended Chair holder, Dr. Gerrit Voordouw, has been involved in early trials of nitrate injection technology in the Coleville field (SK, Canada) under sponsorship of NSERC and ConocoPhillips. The UofC has hired Dr. Tom Jack, formerly with the NOVA/Husky group of companies, to help implement the IRC initiative. The targeted annual budget ($600,000) is split equally between NSERC and a consortium of industrial partners. The planned research will focus on:

1. Defining parameters needed to predict success of souring control by nitrate injection in various fields, including those under PWR, making the technology relevant for the WCSB and other fields where no seawater floods are practiced. Preventing souring of sweet gas stored in subsurface reservoirs.
2. Determining the potential of the technology for corrosion control to extend the lifespan of wells, pipes and pumping equipment, reducing replacement costs. This is critical for late life fields as in the WCSB. Finding optimal combinations of nitrate products and biocides for this purpose.
3. Defining favorable microbial activities present in conventional fields and oil sand environments to mobilize or gasify heavy oil with reduced energy costs and less water input. Determining conditions (e.g. nutritional supplements) needed to establish and maintain these favorable activities.

Opportunity
Petroleum microbiology holds promise for cost reduction and development of novel production technologies. The University of Calgary is seeking industrial partners to participate in the NSERC IRC consortium that will further develop the science, and license and field test spin-off technologies.

Who Should Attend

• Technical professionals and managers responsible for late life oil and gas production in mature fields.
• Members of oil and gas service companies aiming to reduce souring and corrosion.
• Members looking for novel technologies to extend the economic life of ageing assets and/or develop heavy oil and oil sand resources in the long term.

Registration Fee (until June 6th)

PTAC Members	Complimentary
Not-For-Profit Associations	Complimentary
Non-Members	$50.00 (+GST)

Onsite Registration Fee (from June 7-8, 2006)

PTAC Members	$25.00 (+GST)
Not-For-Profit Associations	$25.00 (+GST)
Non-Members	$75.00 (+GST)

Dr. Tom Jack of the University of Calgary by phone at (403) 220-4253 or e-mail: trjack@ucalgary.ca

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