Question

Which of these is not a strategy for the application of biosurfactants in oil recovery?

(a) Injection of biosurfactants into reservoir through well that produce microorganisms and multiply their growth in-situ

(b) Production of biosurfactants ex-situ while the same is injected into the reservoir

(c) Injecting selected nutrients into the reservoir

(d) Injecting microorganisms along with nutrients producing biomass

I had been asked this question in quiz.

The question is from Microbial Extraction of Petroleum topic in division Bioleaching and Biomining for Recovery of Resources of Environmental Biotechnology

Answer 1

Right option is (d) Injecting microorganisms along with nutrients producing biomass

Explanation: Injecting microorganisms along with nutrients producing biomass is a mechanism of microbial plugging and not biosurfactants.  The other three options are a strategy of biosurfactants. The injection of selected nutrients into the reservoir stimulates the growth of naturally occurring biosurfactants that produce microorganisms.