Microbial Biofilms : Our Under-Used Allies in Oil Recovery and Bioremediation

Speaker: Dr. Bill Costerton,
Director, Center for Biofilms, Dentistry, University of Southern,
California - Los Angeles, CAAbstract:Microbiology impacts the formation of oil, the recovery of oil, and the effects of oil recovery operations on the environment. The science of Microbiology is undergoing a radical transformation, from dependence on cultures to a new era in which bacteria are characterized by molecular techniques and studied directly in situ in the ecosystems in which they operate. Bill will discuss the roles that bacteria play in reservoir souring and reservoir plugging, as well as the beneficial role they can play in profile modification and Microbially Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR). Bill will also discuss modern methods for the determination of the impact of oil recovery on environmental systems, whose conclusions differ radically from those of the conventional methods used heretofore, and the impact that these new perceptions have on such large issues as the Athabasca Tar Sands operations and the routing of oil from the North Slope to the Continental USA.

Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Evangeline Reyes