microbiologist,oil and gas industry
2006-11-02 02:39:54 · 5 answers · asked by awunor c 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
There are many reasons microbiologists are needed in the oil and gas industries. For one, there are bacteria that can live in those substances and use them for consumption. There are bacteria that live in jet fuel as well. As long as there is some type of nutrition available for the microorganisms, they will thrive and reproduce. These microbiologists help by testing samples for microbial growth. Did you know that certain microbial growth in diesel fuel can produce plant life. I've worked out in the oilfield and have seen it first hand. I now have a degree in Biology and am working on a Masters Degree.
These same microbiologists are also working on fuel alternatives using bacteria to produce ethanol through fermentation. They can get it through citrus fruits to mass produce but it is hard for them to breakdown cellulose so they are trying to engineer a new type of bacteria that will be able to break down the cellulose and create more ethanol. This is what I am currently doing research on. Cool huh.
2006-11-02 03:24:52 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This doesn't have much to do with gas and oil but mircobiologists are working on creating a bacteria that produce hydrogen gas for future hydrogen fuel cell cars. It would be cheaper than getting the hydrogen from any other source. Oil may soon become too expensive for practical use, if it isn't already.
2006-11-02 03:59:27 · answer #2 · answered by Any help? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Microbiologists have been working on developing a type of bacteria that can eat up oil spills.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacterium
(Under the heading "Benefits and dangers"
Also micropaleontologists have been used in the oil and gas industries to identify micro fossils from drill samples in order to help in locating where oil or gas may be located.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micropaleontology
(Not much in this artile except for a blurb)
2006-11-02 03:00:57 · answer #3 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know what the current figure is but the Fossil fuel industry enjoys billions in corporate welfare and tax breaks. But just so everyone is on the same page - The sun indeed rises in the East.
2016-05-23 16:45:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are working on bacteria that can break down waste plant materials to produce methane gas. Yeast is used to breakdown sugars in corn to make ethanol for mixing with gasoline.
2006-11-02 04:01:35 · answer #5 · answered by science teacher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋