US5093236A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Microbiological oil prospecting
Assignee: GEO-MICROBIAL TECHNOLOGIES Inc 50%
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Filing: 1990-06-22
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Granted: 1992-03-03
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Expires: 2010-06-22
Abstract
Abstract This invention provides methods and systems for prospecting for subterranean oil and gas deposits by detecting the presence of hydrocarbon-consuming microorganisms in soil samples taken from a field of interest for production. A preferred method of this invention comprises suspending and diluting each soil sample in mineral salt solution, combining the sample with a selective growth, substrate such as an alcohol or aldehyde, and an oxidation-reduction dye in a gas-tight tube, incubating the sample and measuring the color change of the dye. Advantages of this system include: results obtained in short times (24 to 72 hours), substantially eliminates false positives, accurate results particularly when a spectrophotometer is used to measure the color changes, and it is automatable with computer controlled systems for processing samples, reading the color changes and calculating and plotting test results.
Inventors
- 👤 Victoria Gonzales-Prevatt
- 👤 Douglas M. Munnecke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 14:34
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12Q; C12Q1/00; C12Q1/64; C12M; C12M41/00; C12M41/28; C12M41/30; C12M41/36; C12Q1/02; C12Q1/04; C12Q2304/00; C12Q2304/20; C12Q2304/22; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/81
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
Method for microbiological prospecting for oil or gas comprising the steps of: (i) suspending a soil sample in a mineral salt solution; (ii) adding to a gas-tight tube; (a) said suspended soil sample, (b) an additional portion of said mineral salt solution, (c) a selective electron-donating growth substrate capable of providing electron-donating potential for a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism; and (d) an oxidation-reduction dye capable of indicating by a change in color a change in the redox potential caused by growth of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism; (iii) sealing the tube and incubating the contents of the sealed tube to allow growth of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism present therein; and (iv) observing color change in the tube contents to determine the presence of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism in said soil sample.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
Method for microbiological prospecting for oil or gas comprising the steps of: (i) suspending a soil sample in a mineral salt solution; (ii) adding to a gas-tight tube; (a) said suspended soil sample, (b) an additional portion of said mineral salt solution, (c) a selective electron-donating growth substrate capable of providing electron-donating potential for a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism; and (d) an oxidation-reduction dye capable of indicating by a change in color a change in the redox potential caused by growth of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism; (iii) sealing the tube and incubating the contents of the sealed tube to allow growth of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism present therein; and (iv) observing color change in the tube contents to determine the presence of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism in said soil sample.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the selective growth substrate comprises an alcohol or an aldehyde.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the dye comprises resazurin, methylene blue, or a tetrazolium dye.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein the dye comprises resazurin, methylene blue , or a tetrazolium dye.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the color change is measured by spectrophotometric means and an automatable means compares the color change to predetermined color standards and calculates a quantitative indication of the presence of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism in the soil sample.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
83 words
A system for detecting the presence of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism in a soil sample comprising: (i) a gas-tight tube having resealable means for introducing a soil sample into the tube; (ii) sealed within said tube: (a) a mineral salt solution; (b) a selective growth substrate capable of providing electron-donating potential to a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism; and (c) an oxidation-reduction dye capable of indicating by a change in color a change in the redox potential caused by growth of a hydracarbon-consuming microorganism in the tube.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
83 words
A system for detecting the presence of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism in a soil sample comprising: (i) a gas-tight tube having resealable means for introducing a soil sample into the tube; (ii) sealed within said tube: (a) a mineral salt solution; (b) a selective growth substrate capable of providing electron-donating potential to a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism; and (c) an oxidation-reduction dye capable of indicating by a change in color a change in the redox potential caused by growth of a hydracarbon-consuming microorganism in the tube.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 6 wherein a soil sample is dispersed in the mineral salt solution.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 6 wherein the selective growth substrate comprises an alcohol or an aldehyde.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 7 wherein the selective growth substrate comprises an alcohol or an aldehyde.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 8 wherein the dye comprises resazurin, methylene blue, or a tetrazolium dye. the dye comprises resazurin, methylene blue, or a tetrazolium dye
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 9 wherein the dye comprises resazurin, methylene blue, or a tetrazolium dye.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system according to claim 10 wherein the system further comprises spectrophotometric means for measuring a color change in the dye and automatable means for comparing the color change to a predetermined standard and calculating a quantitative indication of the presence of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism in the soil sample.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system according to claim 11 wherein the system further comprises spectrophotometric means for measuring a color change in the dye and automa-table means for comparing the color change to a predetermined standard and calculating a quantitative indication of the presence of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism in the soil sample.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
88 words
A kit for detecting the presence of hydrocarbon-consuming microorganisms in a soil sample comprising: (i) a gas-tight tube having resealable opening means for introducing a soil sample into the tube; and, (ii) sealed within said tube: (a) a soil sample suspended in a mineral salt solution; (b) a selective growth substrate capable of providing electron-donating potential for hydrocarbon-consuming microorganisms; and (c) an oxidation-reduction dye capable of indicating by a change in color a change in the redox potential caused by growth of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism in the tube.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
88 words
A kit for detecting the presence of hydrocarbon-consuming microorganisms in a soil sample comprising: (i) a gas-tight tube having resealable opening means for introducing a soil sample into the tube; and, (ii) sealed within said tube: (a) a soil sample suspended in a mineral salt solution; (b) a selective growth substrate capable of providing electron-donating potential for hydrocarbon-consuming microorganisms; and (c) an oxidation-reduction dye capable of indicating by a change in color a change in the redox potential caused by growth of a hydrocarbon-consuming microorganism in the tube.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A kit according to claim 14 wherein the selective growth substrate comprises an alcohol or an aldehyde.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A kit according to claim 14 wherein the dye comprises resazurin, methylene blue, or a tetrazolium dye
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A kit according to claim 15 wherein the dye comprises resazurin, methylene blue, or a tetrazolium dye.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-03-03 | 1995-09-02 | 1996-03-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-03-03 | 1999-09-02 | 2000-03-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-03-03 | 2003-09-02 | 2004-03-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |