Cultivation of uncultured microorganisms involved in anaerobic crude oil biodegradation

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H04970
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Biofunction/Bioprocess
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Mochimaru Hanako 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 地質調査総合センター, 主任研究員 (90462861)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 原油分解 / メタン生成 / メタン生成菌 / 培養 / 油田 / ガス田 / 嫌気的

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The development of technology to convert crude oil currently remaining in depleted oil fields into methane is necessary to ensure we efficiently use our natural resources. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the mechanism of biogenic crude oil degradation and methane formation that is thought to occur in deep underground oil reservoir environments. In this study, cultures grown in high-pressure and atmospheric-pressure conditions simulating the reservoir environment, were carried out to obtain a crude oil-degrading, methane producing microbial culture. We obtained a methanogenic culture using fatty acids that are likely intermediate metabolites of the crude oil degradation process. Furthermore, we succeeded in obtaining both enrichment cultures and pure cultures of uncultured bacteria. The cultivation of these novel microorganisms and the elucidation of the substrates they utilize have contributed to the understanding of the mechanism by which methanogenesis occurs.

Free Research Field

微生物生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

原油の回収率は一般に20-60%であり、枯渇油田とされてもその半量ほどは地下に残されている。本研究では、この原油をメタンに変換し、天然ガスとして回収する技術の開発を目指している。原油分解メタン生成がどのような微生物によりどのような反応経路で起こっているのか、そのメカニズムを明らかにすることで、その反応を利用し促進させることが可能となるはずである。本研究ではその反応を担う、未培養で機能が未知であった微生物の役割を解明した。