Microbiome Based Systems, Apparatus and Methods for the Exploration and Production of Hydrocarbons

Abstract

There are provided methods, systems and processes for the utilization of microbial and related genetic information for use in the exploration, determination, production and recovery of natural resources, including energy sources, and the monitoring, control and analysis of processes and activities.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system comprising:
 one or more computers configured to perform operations comprising:   accessing microbiome information associated with a natural resource having a recoverability at a location of an industrial activity, the microbiome information including one or more of real-time microbiome information, historic microbiome information, derived microbiome information, or predictive microbiome information pertaining to the recoverability; and   generating directing information based on an evaluation of the microbiome information during the industrial activity, the directing information pertaining to one or more enhanced recovery techniques that are usable at the location to improve the recoverability of the natural resource.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the natural resource includes CO2 and the directing information further pertains to using the CO2 in a flooding operation to improve recoverability of oil at the location. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the evaluation of the microbiome information includes a prediction of the effectiveness of the flooding operation. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the directing information includes a change to a flow rate and/or pressure used in the flooding operation. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the directing information includes an amount of CO2 and/or a path for the CO2 from an injection site to a production bore at the location. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the amount of the CO2 and/or the path for the CO2 are determined through use of a tracer added to a sampling catchment to identify organisms that are not from a target source. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the enhanced recovery technique is a microbial enhanced oil recovery technique and the directing information pertains to manipulating a function and/or a structure of a microbial environment at the location. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the evaluation of the microbiome information includes a prediction of a recovery factor associated with the natural resource. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the natural resource includes one or more hydrocarbons and the evaluation includes a prediction of subsurface flow communication or reservoir connectivity pertaining to the one or more hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the evaluation includes a prediction of one or more of permeability, saturation, production-propensity, vertical conformance, or aerial conformance and the directing information includes a prediction of an optimal number of wells that is determined from the evaluation. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 accessing, using one or more computer processors, microbiome information associated with a natural resource having a recoverability at a location of an industrial activity, the microbiome information including one or more of real-time microbiome information, historic microbiome information, derived microbiome information, or predictive microbiome information pertaining to the recoverability; and   generating, using the one or more computer processors, directing information based on an evaluation of the microbiome information during the industrial activity, the directing information pertaining to one or more enhanced recovery techniques that are usable at the location to improve the recoverability of the natural resource.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the natural resource includes CO2 and the directing information further pertains to using the CO2 in a flooding operation to improve recoverability of oil at the location. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the evaluation of the microbiome information includes a prediction of the effectiveness of the flooding operation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the directing information includes a change to a flow rate and/or pressure used in the flooding operation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the directing information includes an amount of CO2 and/or a path for the CO2 from an injection site to a production bore at the location. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the amount of the CO2 and/or the path for the CO2 are determined through use of a tracer added to a sampling catchment to identify organisms that are not from a target source. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the enhanced recovery technique is a microbial enhanced oil recovery technique and the directing information pertains to manipulating a function and/or a structure of a microbial environment at the location. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the evaluation of the microbiome information includes a prediction of a recovery factor associated with the natural resource. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the natural resource includes one or more hydrocarbons and the evaluation includes a prediction of subsurface flow communication or reservoir connectivity pertaining to the one or more hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the evaluation includes a prediction of one or more of permeability, saturation, production-propensity, vertical conformance, or aerial conformance and the directing information includes a prediction of an optimal number of wells that is determined from the evaluation.