Odds and Ends, Archive 3
Sweet Smell of Success
Orson Wells Disclaimer – the following story problem is entirely fictitious. The author has no specific knowledge of research or secret technology similar to that described below. I don't want to be the source of wild internet rumors involving GM bacteria and / or gonzo science.
TooGoodToBeTrue, the genetic engineering pioneer, has developed an anaerobic thermophilic bacterial strain that metabolizes crude oil. The aggressive organism out-competes and displaces sulfate-reducing bacteria in water flooded oil reservoirs. GreenJeans Oil Company (a Division of Captain Kangaroo Enterprises) decides to participate in a field trial by injecting the bacteria into a mature reservoir that has been under waterflood for the last 20 years. Five years after the waterflood began the formerly sweet field began producing slightly sour gas (500 ppm hydrogen sulfide, H2S).
The trial is wildly successful and over a period of 18 months the H2S levels decline to nearly zero. However, one of the known metabolic by-products of the new bacterial strain is 2-(3,7-dimethyloct-6-enoxy)acetaldehyde, otherwise known as citronellyl oxyacetaldehyde (see reference below).
http://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/data/rw1016771.html
This water soluble compound has a commercial value and GreenJeans sets up a small ionic membrane extraction plant at their water processing facility. Produced water is meticulously separated from the crude oil and oil-free produced water containing the citronellyl oxyacetaldehyde is stored in two small atmospheric tanks that are used to feed the suction of the extraction plant charge pumps.
The average concentration of citronellyl oxyacetaldehyde in the produced water is 50 ug/liter and the total throughput is 1000 barrels of produced water per day.
As noted in the reference above, citronellyl oxyacetaldehyde is a powerful odorant used in fragrances and is detectable in the air in parts per billion. Fortunately the vapor pressure is low, so very little of the compound escapes the atmospheric tanks (the downstream product tanks are kept under pressure and have a vapor recovery system).
However, the small amount that does escape the tanks is detectable as a pleasant honeysuckle fragrance both summer and winter. A neighbor, Mr. O.F. Curmudgeon, maintains a vacation home less than ¼ mile from the extraction plant. Mr. C files an odor complaint with both the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC).
Two questions –
1. At 98% recovery, what is the annual production of the compound and at $10,000 / ounce, what is the predicted gross revenue from this product stream?
2. Using ‘letter of the law’ interpretations, what are the CDPHE and COGCC’s likely responses to Mr. C’s complaints?
Link to Answers
For my answers and interpretations click here