The influence of microbial activity on rock fluid interaction: Baseline characterization of deep biosphere for Enhanced Gas Recovery in the Altmark natural gas reservoir

In this study the first results of the microbial monitoring within the framework of the CLEAN project are described. The microbial community of a 3.5 km deep depleted gas reservoir in Altmark, Germany was analyzed by molecular genetic techniques. Sequence analyses indicated the presence of microorganisms similar to previously identified microbes from saline, thermophilic and anaerobic environments in the deep hypersaline and hot reservoir environments. The results of the phylogenetic analyses revealed the presence of the different H2oxidising bacteria (Hydrogenophaga sp., Acidovorax sp., Ralstonia sp., Pseudomonas sp.), thiosulfate-oxidising bacteria (Diaphorobacter sp.) and biocorrosive thermophilic microorganisms.

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