Over the years we’ve seen our specially blended microbes solve hundreds of issues with scale, paraffin and corrosion in water flowing through SWDs and waterfloods. We’ve seen them release oil from SWD-bound water, remediate oil and sludge in tanks, and on the ground.
All this has been done economically, non-toxically, and more effectively than competing treatments with chemicals, nutrient-only microbial treatments, and even other companies’ microbes. Sometimes we’re asked:
“What makes you different? How do you ‘get’ the microbes and why do they work so well?”
These are great questions! After all, no one can go down to the oilfield supply store and buy a tub of scale-inhibiting microbes. Even if you could, you’d still have to be experts at applying them, which is the other reason our microbes work so well—we’ve spent years developing the application process as well as the microbe blends.
It’s more detailed than some particular microbe strains attacking scale and some reducing corrosion—because there are different substances that cause scale and corrosion. There are strains that specifically handle calcium carbonate, or calcium sulfate, or iron oxide, or iron sulfide, or barium sulfate, or hydrocarbons plus a long list of identifiable scale-causing minerals.This is very important because a microbe strain that attacks calcium sulfate will just wave at calcium carbonate as it floats past, instead of waving goodbye to your scale problems.
Every strain we use is naturally occurring. We do not genetically alter any of our microbes. Genetically altered microbes can mutate and then you can’t be sure what they will do. Naturally occurring microbes are limited to what they are “born” to do. The hard part is finding and identifying them. Luckily, we've already done that. After we find and identify, we study their functions to determine their ability and then cultivate the ones our clients need.
People also ask:
"How do you know which ones to use—do you have a standard formula or does it depend on the well?
To use a familiar phrase, SWDs and waterfloods are like snowflakes—no two are exactly alike. Because of the unique nature of each system in the oilfield, we start by analyzing the water to determine how well the microbes will thrive and what strains we will be required. We also get in touch with field technicians to get their take on the problems they’re facing, how often, and how big those issues are.
We combine that information with what we know about our microbes. All of them need certain amounts of nutrients and trace elements to thrive and reproduce. Our tried and tested formula for application is based on our water analysis sampling along with retention time, volume, and frequency of treatment to determine the type and amount to use. Our goal is to maintain approximately one million cells per milliliter of fluid at all times, to maximize effectiveness.
There are different strains of microbes for different issues. JGL Microbes are able to blend into one treatment, tailor-made to your system.
Synthetic chemicals are man-made copies of naturally occurring chemicals in nature and are for the most part toxic and/or environmentally harmful to personnel, plants, animals, aquifers, etc. Microbes are more effective than chemical because of their biological process, they produce natural chemicals and by-products in situ making them much more effective for common oilfield applications.
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