Investigation of the transport and metabolic patterns of oil-displacing bacterium FY-07-G in the microcosm model using X-CT technology.

This article focuses on advancing microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) by investigating the transport and metabolic behavior of a genetically engineered bacterial strain, Kosakonia oryzendophytica FY-07-G, which conditionally produces bacterial cellulose (bc) for selective plugging in oil reservoirs. Using a novel three-dimensional (3D) micro-porous media model combined with X-ray computed tomography (X-CT) visualization, the study demonstrates that FY-07-G preferentially migrates to and plugs lower-permeability zones with smaller pore spaces, improving oil displacement efficiency. Physical simulation experiments showed that FY-07-G enhanced oil recovery by 6.94% compared to the wild-type strain, highlighting its potential for more effective and environmentally sustainable MEOR applications. The research addresses limitations of traditional two-dimensional models and provides theoretical guidance for optimizing microbial transport and plugging strategies in heterogeneous reservoir conditions.