The present disclosure is related to systems and methods for the biological processing of hydrocarbon-containing substances. In particular embodiments, the systems and methods herein relate to pre-digestion of hydrocarbon containing substances and further processing of the same to produce hydrocarbon fuels, fertilizer, and other products.

The subject invention provides microbe-based products, as well as their use to improve oil well production and increase the value of heavy crude oil. Specifically, the subject invention provides cultivated yeast products, which can be applied to oil and/or oil and gas production equipment to improve production and increase the economic value of heavy crude oil by, for example, upgrading heavy oils and/or converting heavy hydrocarbon substances, such as asphalts, asphaltenes, tars, bitumens and/or petcokes into lighter hydrocarbon substances.

The subject invention provides microbe-based products, as well as their use to improve oil well production and increase the value of heavy crude oil. Specifically, the subject invention provides cultivated yeast products, which can be applied to oil and/or oil and gas production equipment to improve production and increase the economic value of heavy crude oil by, for example, upgrading heavy oils and/or converting heavy hydrocarbon substances, such as asphalts, asphaltenes, tars, bitumens and/or petcokes into lighter hydrocarbon substances.

The subject invention provides microbe-based products, as well as their use to improve oil production and refining efficiency by, for example, remediating the disposable layers in oil tanks and other oil storage units. In preferred embodiments, the microbe-based products comprise biochemical-producing yeast and growth by-products thereof, such as, e.g., biosurfactants. The subject invention can be used to remediate rag layer and/or other dissolved solid layers that form in water-oil emulsions. Furthermore, the subject invention can be used for remediating solid impurities, such as sand, scale, rust and clay, in produced water, flow-back, brine, and/or fracking fluids.

The subject invention provides microbe-based products, as well as their use to improve oil production and refining efficiency by, for example, remediating the disposable layers in oil tanks and other oil storage units. In preferred embodiments, the microbe-based products comprise biochemical-producing yeast and growth by-products thereof, such as, e.g., biosurfactants. The subject invention can be used to remediate rag layer and/or other dissolved solid layers that form in water-oil emulsions. Furthermore, the subject invention can be used for remediating solid impurities, such as sand, scale, rust and clay, in produced water, flow-back, brine, and/or fracking fluids.

We disclose a process for purification of hydrocarbons, suitable for a wide range of contexts such as refining bunker fuels to yield low-sulphur fuels, cleaning of waste engine oil (etc) to yield a usable hydrocarbon product, recovery of hydrocarbons from used tyres, recovery of hydrocarbons from thermoplastics etc, as well as the treatment of crude oils, shale oils, and the tailings remaining after fractionation and like processes. The method comprises the steps of heating the hydrocarbon thereby to release a gas phase, contacting the gas with an aqueous persulphate electrolyte within a reaction chamber, and condensing the gas to a liquid or a liquid/gas mixture and removing its aqueous component. It also comprises subjecting the reaction product to an electrical field generated by at least two opposing electrode plates between which the reaction product flows; this electrolytic step regenerates the persulphate electrolyte which can be recirculated within the process. The process is ideally applied in an environment at lower than atmospheric pressure, such as less than 1500 Pa. A wide range of hydrocarbons can be treated in this way. Used hydrocarbons such as engine oils and sulphur-contaminated fuels are prime examples, but there are a wide range of others such as hydrocarbons derived from the pyrolysis of a material having a hydrocarbon content. One such example is a mix of used rubber (such as end-of-life tyres) and used oils (such as engine oils, waste marine oils), which can be pyrolysed together to yield a hydrocarbon liquid which can be treated as above, and a residue that provides a useful solid fuel.

The invention provides environmentally-friendly compositions and methods for reducing the viscosity of crude oil using microorganisms and/or biosurfactants produced by microorganisms.

The invention provides environmentally-friendly compositions and methods for reducing the viscosity of crude oil using microorganisms and/or biosurfactants produced by microorganisms.

The subject invention provides microbe-based products, as well as their use to improve oil well production and increase the value of heavy crude oil. Specifically, the subject invention provides cultivated yeast products, which can be applied to oil and/or oil and gas production equipment to improve production and increase the economic value of heavy crude oil by, for example, upgrading heavy oils and/or converting heavy hydrocarbon substances, such as asphalts, asphaltenes, tars, bitumens and/or petcokes into lighter hydrocarbon substances.

The subject invention provides microbe-based products, as well as their use to improve oil well production and increase the value of heavy crude oil. Specifically, the subject invention provides cultivated yeast products, which can be applied to oil and/or oil and gas production equipment to improve production and increase the economic value of heavy crude oil by, for example, upgrading heavy oils and/or converting heavy hydrocarbon substances, such as asphalts, asphaltenes, tars, bitumens and/or petcokes into lighter hydrocarbon substances.