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Frackibacter Adapted from Information by the Ohio State University Researchers at the Ohio State University have identified a new genus of bacteria living inside hydraulically fractured wells. As a play on the word “fracking”, shorthand for “hydraulic fracturing”, the name given to the discovered genus is “Frackibacter”. The Frackibacter fluid is collected at the surface of a well after fracturing. The distinctive orange color of the fluid comes from the large amounts of iron contained within it, which oxidizes when the fluid is brought to the surface. Frackibacter was one of 31 microbial members found living inside two separate wells. The wells were hundreds of miles apart, owned by different energy companies using different fracturing techniques, yet the microbial com- munities inside the wells were nearly identical. Frackibacter prospered alongside the microbes from the surface, forming communities in both wells which have lasted for over a year. Kelly Wrighton, assistant professor of microbiology and biophysics at the uni- versity explained, “Drilling the well and pumping in fracturing fluid creates the ecosystem, but the microbes adapt to their new environment to sustain the system over long periods.” Researchers took fluid samples from both wells, and reconstructed the genomes of the bacteria in the lab. The two wells were expected to share some of the same types of bacteria, but the level of similarity was striking. Because of the close similarities, it is believed the ecosystems are more influenced by fracturing than the inherent differences in the shale. Shale energy companies typically formulate their own fluid to help release gas and oil. Once the fluid is pumped inside the well, salt within the shale makes it briny. Though temperature and pressure are important, researchers think the salinity is the most important stressor for the microbes’ survival. Salinity starts a process which allows the microbes themselves to generate a sustainable food supply. The team at Ohio State is still not 100% sure of the microbes’ origins. There is a good chance some came from the ponds used to provide water to the well during drilling. However, other bacteria could have been living in the rock before drilling began, including Frackibacter. To validate their findings from the field and better un- derstand what is happening in the well, researchers grew the same microbes in the lab under similar conditions. Results indicated the team is on the right track, and they continue to test the bacteria in the lab to examine its ability to handle high pres- sure and salinity. Photo by Rebecca Daly. Open the Doorway to all the Event Photos! To see all the photos from this event, go to: www.worldwidedrillingresource. info/gallery/2017/MtnStates2017, or just click here. Feel free to download at will and print the photo(s) of your choice. Compliments of WorldWide Drilling Resource ® . Photos are copyrighted and released for personal use only - no commercial use permitted. 21 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® MAY 2017