Study on optimized culture of microbial strains and their ability in wax removal and viscosity reduction of paraffin-based crude oil

Abstract

High-viscosity paraffin-based crude oil is prone to wax deposition at low temperatures, hindering development and transportation efficiency while posing safety risks. Microbial technology offers a safe, eco-friendly, and economically viable solution. In this study, strain B-1 is isolated and cultivated optimally using statistical multifactorial synergistic optimization. Species identification reveals strain B-1 to be a new Gram-positive aerobic bacterium. After optimization, strain B-1′s growth activity increases by 11.5 %. Lipopeptide surfactants produced by strain B-1 reduce wax content and viscosity of the crude oil by 37.29 % and 23 %, respectively. It also shows a significant impact on long carbon chain heavy component hydrocarbon substrates, degrading C17-C40 hydrocarbons by 37.93 % on average. Moreover, strain B-1 transforms aggregated wax crystals into dispersed microcrystals, improving flowability. These findings offer a promising solution for enhancing reservoir development efficiency and ensuring pipeline transportation safety.