Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in oil reservoir and biological control of SRB: a review.

Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) inhabit oilfield production systems. Sulfur oxidation driven by SOB and dissimilatory sulfate reduction driven by SRB play important roles in sulfur cycle of oil reservoirs. More importantly, hydrogen sulfide produced by SRB is an acidic, flammable, and smelly toxic gas associated with reservoir souring, corrosion of oil-production facilities, and personnel safety. Effective control of SRB is urgently needed for the oil industry. This depends on an in-depth understanding of the microbial species that drive sulfur cycle and other related microorganisms in oil reservoir environments. Here, we identified SOB and SRB in produced brines of Qizhong block (Xinjiang Oilfield, China) from metagenome sequencing data based on reported SOB and SRB, reviewed metabolic pathways of sulfur oxidation and dissimilatory sulfate reduction, and ways for SRB control. The existing issues and future research of microbial sulfur cycle and SRB control are also discussed. Knowledge of the distribution of the microbial populations, their metabolic characteristics and interactions can help to develop an effective process to harness these microorganisms for oilfield production.