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Lipopeptide production by Serratia marcescens SmSA using a Taguchi design and its application in enhanced heavy oil recovery

Abstract Biosurfactant production at reactor level by Serratia marcescens SmSA was optimized and evaluated to enhance the heavy oil recovery on carbonate rocks. Temperature, agitation, and carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio were evaluated to optimize biosurfactant production by using a Taguchi (L9) design. The best conditions (C/N ratio: 6, 25 °C, and agitation: 100 rpm) were used to scale up the biosurfactant production with a 3-L bioreactor. The best aeration for biosurfactant production was 0.66 volume of air per volume of liquid per minute (vvm), producing the lowest surface tension (26 mN/m) in 14 h, with a biosurfactant yield of 14.26 g/L as a crude product and 2.85 g/L as a purified product, and a critical micelle concentration of 280 mg/L. The biosurfactant was characterized as a lipopeptide, and it was stable under extreme conditions: pH (2–12), salinity up to 200 g/L, and temperature up to 150 °C confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis. Enhanced oil recovery test was carried out with a carbonate core and heavy oil under reservoir conditions, obtaining an additional recovery of 8%, due to reduced interfacial tension and modified wettability of the rock. These findings highlight the potential application of S. marcescens SmSA biosurfactant in enhanced oil recovery.