Biotechnological applications in the oil industry

During the 20th century, important relationships developed between the oil industry and both microbiological and biotechnological research. Basic micr obiological research has played an important role in both the exploration a nd production sectors of the oil industry, but as the maturity of the indus try has progressed, such contributions have been relegated with respect to their importance. With respect to refining and petrochemicals manufacture, process routes have been extensively researched, but only rarely have the b iotechnological solutions developed satisfied the economic criteria that re sulted in major investment. In fact, situations exist where investment has occurred, but project life was unrealistically short, suggesting a need for extreme caution when evaluating biotechnological processes for the oil ind ustry. However, as far as engineered processes for both biotreatment and bi oremediation are concerned, the fundamental research that has underpinned o ther areas of hydrocarbon microbiology will finally prove to be of both tec hnical and economic value, in ensuring that the essential needs of treatmen t, rather than disposal, and restoration, rather than environmental destruc tion, can be satisfied by the oil and other industries involved in both geo chemical manipulation and natural resource exploitation.