Effect of Stirring Circulation on the Effectiveness of Microbial Consortium in Sludge Oil Bioremediation Process

Abstract : Sludge oil is a by-product of crude oil processing that poses significant environmental and efficiency challenges in the oil and gas industry. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using microbial consortia to address sludge oil, with a focus on the impact of agitation on oil recovery enhancement. An experimental and laboratory analysis approach was employed to implement bioremediation for cleaning sludge oil from crude oil tanks. Factors such as agitation conditions, types of microorganisms, environmental conditions, and handling time were evaluated to understand their effects on oil recovery efficiency. The experiment compared two conditions: microbial consortia in agitated and non-agitated systems. The results showed that the use of microbial consortia in an agitated system was significantly more effective in reducing sludge oil and enhancing oil recovery compared to the non-agitated system. Agitation was found to improve microbial circulation and nutrient distribution, contributing to an increase in sludge oil degradation by up to 17.1%. However, the success of this method was also influenced by the composition of the sludge oil and environmental conditions. This research contributes to the development of more effective solutions for managing sludge oil and improving oil recovery in the oil and gas industry. The results of this experiment can serve as a foundation for further research on optimizing bioremediation for different operational conditions and supporting environmental sustainability.