STRUCTURAL DIVERSITY OF THERMOTOLERANT BACTERIA FROM PETROLEUM RESERVOIRS

Abstract

Shotgun metagenomics combined with 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing enables genome-resolved characterization of complex microbial communities without cultivation. These approaches reveal microbial depth, diversity, relative distribution and abundance in the pristine sites where its helping in microbially enhanced oil recovery and bioremediation.  This study examines the structure of thermotolerant bacteria in subsurface cores (3,770-4,315 m) of the Nashpa Oil field located in Haripur, Pakistan through the application of 16S amplicon and shotgun metagenomics.  Analysis revealed Proteobacteria dominance alongside Firmicutes and Bacteroidota, with genera such as Alcanivorax, Marinobacter, and Rhodococcus which are reported to be involved in hydrocarbon degradation, heat-shock responses and low-oxygen adaptations.  These findings highlight the reservoir microbiome as a resource for microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) and hydrocarbon bioremediation.