A Technique for the Direct Estimation of Bacteria in Oil Field Waters

Abstract

The culture of many bacteria found in oil field waters on conventional media is characteristically difficult. Some of the microorganisms require the presence of hydrocarbon gases for adequate growth; many are autotrophic or semiautotrophic with poorly understood growth requirements; others require very low oxidationreduction potentials for adequate growth; and still others refuse to reproduce in artificial cultures for reasons as yet unknown to us. While the unusual growth habits of these bacteria lead to many very interesting research problems, the difficulties encountered in culturing them in the field have been quite annoying. Moreover, such difficulties have precluded rapid estimations of populations for the purpose of indicating the degree of control of a total microbial population.