The microbiology of drill mud cuttings from a new offshore oilfield in Nigeria

Abstract

From the Abstract: “Drilling-fluid-utilising microorganisms present in drill mud cuttings collected from the Agbara oilfield were isolated on mineral salts agar plates. Thirty-two isolates were obtained, 26 of which were Gram-positive bacteria and six fungi. The isolates were identified as Bacillus sp. (10), Staphylococcus sp. (12), Micrococcus sp. (2), Corynebacterium sp. (1), Nocardia sp. (1), and Penicillium so. (6). Screen tests indicated that 27 (84.4%) of the isolates did not grow with any of the drilling fluids. One Bacillus and three Staphylococcus spp. were strong primary utilisers of the drilling fluids.”