Team BACTERIA

Team BACTERIA’s research aims to determine an optimal mixture of enzymes produced by bacteria and fungi that will create a reduction in asphaltene aggregates found in heavy crude oil. Current pipeline transportation of heavy crude oil poses detrimental and irreversible effects to the surrounding aquatic life and human population. By reducing asphaltene aggregate, which causes pipeline blockage, pipelines would have a lower risk of erupting and harmfully affecting the environment. This biological method can potentially improve the sustainability of heavy crude oil transportation.

 

The team will be using experimental lab research to determine whether the enzymes laccase, chloroperoxidase, and dioxygenase can oxygenate asphaltenes, a component of bitumen that contributes to pipeline blockages and higher viscosity of oil, and whether a combination of these enzymes will be more effective at asphaltene degradation compared to individual enzymes.