Abstract: A bioremediation method for accelerated biological degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in a sea ice-covered polar region comprising contacting the petroleum hydrocarbons with an inoculum. The inoculum includes a bacterial mixture, nutrients, and an environmentally friendly carrier material. The bacterial mixture includes a plurality of cold-adapted autochthonous bacterial strains, wherein each of the bacterial strains are active at an ambient temperature of ?3° C., and wherein each of the bacterial strains has a different temperature tolerance range, a different salinity tolerance range, a different degradation spectrum, and a different potential to emulsify oil. Bacteria of the bacterial strains are immobilized on the environmentally friendly carrier material.