Also: crude oil, heavy oil, microbial enhanced oil recovery, MEOR
Crude oil formed from ancient organic matter. Microbes living deep underground have broken down much of it, and they are studied as a way to help recover oil.
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Youssef, Elshahed and McInerney reviewed microbial processes in oil fields; adding nitrate or nitrite controls hydrogen sulfide production, while large-scale in-situ biosurfactant recovery remains uncertain.
As reported in: Youssef, Elshahed, McInerney (2009). Chapter 6 Microbial Processes in Oil Fields. Advances in Applied Microbiology. doi:10.1016/S0065-2164(08)00806-X
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Head, Jones and Larter argued most of the world's oil was biodegraded by microbes under anaerobic conditions, often producing methane, turning it into heavy oil.
As reported in: Head, Jones, Larter (2003). Biological activity in the deep subsurface and the origin of heavy oil. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature02134