Microbes that eat oil

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CW2008:
"(1500 feet) that is oxygen depleted and hampers the bioremediate action"

I would think that since they are anaerobes (aren't they?) that oxygen is less a limiting factor than cold temps at those depths. I know nothing about these bacteria, but wouldn't they get their O2 from the oil? I am not an expert, and I reserve the right to be wrong here. If you have ever worked with microbes (I know that sounds strange) you realize how dynamic their populations are.
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Actually I believe the bugs doing the work on hydrocarbons are usually aerobic. We use anaerobic species for cleaning up chlorinated solvents under reducing conditions, but I believe most crude cleanups are done by simply providing an extra oyxgen supply to the existing aerobic populations using a product like ORC (at least in groundwater). What is actually happening is that the bugs are breaking the bonds on the hydrocarbon molecules for energy...so the lighter the crude is (i.e. shorter hydrocarbon chains) the easier it is to break down quickly.

The two main things the aerobic bugs need are oxygen and a carbon source for food. There isn't alot of oxygen in the hydrocarbon molecules...mostly hydrogen and carbon with a few other anions...so the oxygen has to come from the environment. That is why nutrient plumes from the mississippi cause anaerobic conditions in the Gulf's dead zone...the nutrients stimulate bug and algae populations that strip all the oxygen out of the water.
 
Some very good information in this thread. Thanks to you all.

I discovered this article several weeks ago while browsing news stories shortly after the Deepwater Horizon went down. If I remember correctly, The story that led me to THIS story indicated that there was a gentleman in Pensacola working with Bioremediation Inc. trying to bring this product to our area. Sontek, perhaps this is was you were asking about?

Indiana company may have resource to help clean gulf oil spill | WSBT - News, Weather, Sports South Bend | Local News
 
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https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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