DEEPBIOENGINEERING

There has never been a more exciting time to be at the interface of biological engineering and petroleum geosciences. Recent discoveries in geomicrobiology and methodological breakthroughs in DNA sequencing place us on the brink of an unprecedented understanding of the role of microorganisms in globally significant processes in subsurface petroleum reservoirs. Qualified estimates reveal that the vast majority of microorganisms on Earth inhabit the subsurface. Most newly discovered taxa in this 'deep biosphere' have no representatives in laboratory cultures, thus knowledge about their role in economically relevant biogeochemical cycles is unknown. Fossil fuel reservoirs are microbial habitats of great scientific interest and even greater societal importance. Microbes native to subsurface petroleum reservoirs can cause significant damage and economic loss. However, understanding and harnessing this 'petroleum microbiome' has great potential for engineering interventions for more sustainable petroleum production and novel exploration strategies.The next generation of engineers faces the unavoidable challenge of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. The oil and gas industry is at the epicentre of this challenge. Currently fossil fuels account for greater than 80% of global primary energy supply, yet even under optimistic projections of rapid innovation and modest population growth fossil fuels will still supply 70% of our energy in 2030 (International Energy Agency, 2010). It is clear that the transition towards more sustainable energy will require several decades, that fossil fuels will continue to be essential, and that innovation is needed in all areas of the energy sector. It is critical therefore to develop new engineering interventions and novel technologies focusing directly on the oil indsutry so that existing resources are exploited as responsibly as possible.It has long been recognized that microorganisms are important constituents of petroleum reservoirs and oil production systems, with the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) being reported almost a century ago (Bastin, 1926, Science 63:21). SRB are well known in the oil industry because they cause reservoir souring - the production of toxic hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Souring costs the oil industry billions of pounds annually due to production problems related to H2S (e.g., corrosion) and the lower value of high-sulfur petroleum. Nitrate-reducing bacteria (NRB) can be stimulated to control souring in an environmentally friendly way, and while nitrate injection is a strategy beginning to be practised offshore, it remains poorly understood. The first major objective of DEEPBIOENGINEERING is to develop a new understanding of souring and nitrate-driven souring control by applying a combination of geochemistry, microbiology and high throughput nucleic acid sequencing to reservoir production waters and experimental cultures inoculated with them. This research will deliver an unprecedented understanding of the petroleum microbiome, which will underpin prediction-based bioengineering interventions for souring control.The second major objective of DEEPBIOENGINEERING is to exploit the knowledge of the deep petroleum microbiome to track the distribution of formerly indigenous reservoir bacteria. This will lead to a totally new tool for offshore oil and gas exploration. This idea is based on the observation of oil reservoir-like bacteria (thermophilic SRB) in cold ocean sediments (Hubert et al 2009, Science 325:1541) and the hypothesis that petroleum fluids leaking from reservoirs at natural seafloor hydrocarbon seeps is a mechanism for microbe dispersal that can be quantitatively measured. This will lead to predictive models and concepts that will be use bioindicators to map the seafloor and predict or locate seabed hydrocarbon seeps. This environmentally friendly tool will assist offshore exploration for needed petroleum energy resources.

Our high living standards in the UK are inextricably linked to fossil fuel energy. Currently fossil fuels account for greater than 80% of global primary energy supply. It is widely acknowledged that this must drop, and in the future new technologies for renewable energy will be required to replace fossil fuels. But when will this future arrive? Even under optimistic projections of rapid innovation and modest global population growth, fossil fuels will still supply 70% of our energy in 2030 (International Energy Agency, 2010). It is clear that our transition towards more sustainable energy sources will require several decades and that fossil fuels will continue to be essential. It is therefore critical to UK society and the UK economy that development of new energy technology includes a focus on the fossil fuels sector so that existing resources are exploited as responsibly and sustainably as possible during this slow transition. This is also strategic, since the UK hosts a major offshore oil industry that contributes significantly to national employment and economic prosperity.The DEEPBIOENGINEERING project promises concrete societal and economic impacts by focusing on innovative and more environmentally sustainable ways to produce petroleum and discover new petroleum reserves. The research proposed here represents a whole systems approach to energy by incorporating engineering with biology and geosciences. The work conducted will have broad impact touching on at least the following four domains:1. Souring control for more sustainable petroleum resource productionSouring (H2S production in oil reservoirs) costs the oil industry billions of pounds annually and is hazardous to offshore workers. Souring mitigation has traditionally used aggressive biocides that are carcinogenic and harmful to marine life. Nitrate injection therefore represents an environmentally friendly alternative, and is poised for widespread use if its efficacy can be understood through enhanced knowledge of the underlying microbiology and geochemistry. Our data will feed into predictive models (see letters from UK industrial partners Chevron and Rawwater Engineering) to allow oil companies to confidently deploy nitrate technology in their day to day operations, thus producing essential petroleum resources more cleanly and efficiently.2. Development of novel bioindicators for environmentally benign offshore oil and gas explorationSignificant fossil fuel resources exist in remote regions of the world including beneath deep water or in remote polar seas (Gautier et al 2009, Science 324:1175). New low cost technologies that feature environmentally benign sampling procedures will be highly attractive as existing energy reserves dwindle and new sources are sought. The use of seismic testing in offshore exploration is coming under increasing scrutiny and regulation, given our growing understanding of the effects of acoustic pollution on marine mammals. More sustainable tools and concepts for geoenergy resource mapping will also be useful for policy makers and environmental regulators in coastal states like the UK, where delineating marine protected areas within exclusive economic zones is a priority. In deep water and polar regions, companies and governments will be able to use the data generated for developing policies on offshore exploration in high risk and sensitive areas.3. Bioremediation of spilled oilIncreased understanding of the biogeochemistry of oil degradation by microorganisms will be of direct societal and economic benefit in relation to dealing with oil spills. As such this research will be relevant to environmental regulators such as the UK Environment Agency and similar agencies worldwide.4. Public outreachEnergy is on the public's mind. The public is less familiar with life in the deep biosphere. Outreach related to the 'petroleum microbiome' will stimulate awareness about where our energy comes from.