A process and related apparatus for enhancing the oil recovery from an oil
well are described. An embodiment of the process generally includes
selection of a candidate reservoir; collecting oil formation water
samples under anaerobic conditions; selecting media and enriching the
microbes derived from the formation water; characterizing and identifying
the selected consortium; mass scale production of the selected
consortium; anaerobically preparing a defined composition nutrient
medium, transportation of the nutrient medium by ISO tankers and the
consortium by a specially designed field laboratory unit to the selected
well treatment site; injecting the medium and consortium into the
reservoir of the well; closing the well for the proliferation of microbes
for one to three weeks; and allowing the microbes to dislodge oil in the
reservoir and thereby enhance recovery of oil from the well.