Petroleum Microbiology
Microbial oil recovery began in the 1960s, when oil companies discovered that certain bacteria could thrive deep underground. By injecting these microbes into oil wells and feeding them simple sugars, they converted those nutrients into carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen (H₂)—gases that helped push residual oil toward the surface. This early innovation laid the groundwork for the next generation of subsurface biotechnology.
Turning Residual Hydrocarbons into Hydrogen
Microbes have long been nature’s cleanup crew. For decades, they’ve been used to process paraffins in wells or remediate oil spills by digesting hydrocarbons and turning them into harmless byproducts through fermentation. We’re applying the same principle underground, but instead of producing alcohol or organic acids, our microbes generate hydrogen. In the oxygen-free environments of depleted oil reservoirs, naturally occurring or engineered bacteria ferment residual hydrocarbons into hydrogen gas. Rather than leaving valuable carbon locked away, we’re transforming it into a renewable energy source directly from the subsurface.
Harnessing Nitrogen for Hydrogen Production
Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in our atmosphere—and certain microbes, have the remarkable ability to turn nitrogen (N₂) into ammonia (NH₃), releasing hydrogen in the process. This reaction occurs through the nitrogenase enzyme, which operates even in the oxygen-free, high-pressure conditions found in oil reservoirs.
Leveraging the Scale of Subsurface Injection
Oil and gas operators already inject tons of nitrogen per day into depleted reservoirs to maintain pressure. We see an opportunity to pair this existing infrastructure with microbial biotechnology—using nitrogen not just as a cushion gas, but as a substrate for hydrogen production.