Microbial community characteristics of petroleum reservoir production water amended with n-alkanes and incubated under nitrate-, sulfate-reducing and methanogenic conditions

► We obtained n-alkanes-degrading enrichment cultures under three reducing conditions. ► The n-alkanes degradation linked to nitrate-, sulfate-reduction and methanogenesis was observed. ► The genes of assA and mcrA were amplified from methanogenic cultures. ► Electron acceptors had a strong influence on the microbial community composition.