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Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is one of the leading causes of equipment and pipeline failure in oil and gas industries. Cost-effective MIC management requires routine monitoring of microbial activities, periodic assessment of microbial risks in various operational systems, and accurate diagnosis of MIC failure. Traditionally, MIC diagnosis has been dependent on cultivation-based methods by inoculating liquid samples containing live bacteria into selective growth media, followed by incubation at a certain temperature for a pre-determined period of time. The conventional culturing techniques have been reported to severely underestimate the size of the microbial populations related to metal corrosion, among many inherited weaknesses of these techniques. As a result, accurate diagnosis of MIC failure is challenging because the conventional techniques often fail to provide a critical piece of evidence required for a firm diagnosis, i.e., the presence of corrosion-causing microorganisms in the failed metal samples. In this paper, we described applications of molecular microbiology methods in diagnosing MIC in a crude oil pipeline and crude processing facility. Molecular microbial analyses have provided a solid piece of evidence to firmly diagnose the MIC in a crude oil flow line, a stagnant bypass spool, and a global valve bypass pipe. The presence of a high number of corrosion-related microorganisms in upstream pipelines poses a high risk to downstream crude processing facilities for microbial contamination and corrosion failure in these facilities. An effective MIC management program should include routine monitoring of microbial activities and risk assessment, and effective mitigation program, such as scraping and biocide treatments.
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NEW TITLE AVAILABLE NOW!! The main objective for Dr. Ali Morshed's new book, A Practical Guide to Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) in the Upstream Oil & Gas Sector, was to produce a practical MIC guide to facilitate the identification, monitoring, assessment, and control of bacterial activity and MIC that might arise within assets associated with the upstream oil and gas sector.
“Practical” refers to content that can be readily related to various bacterial and MIC scenarios, which are likely to arise for any upstream operator and (a content which) can be easily used to resolve, rectify, or improve such MIC scenarios.
In brief, this book has been written to further help and facilitate bacterial and MIC troubleshooting for the operators and asset owners concerned.
Five relevant and informative case studies are also included.
2023 AMPP, 114 pgs
By far, the microbiological species most associated with corrosion has been Sulphate-Reducing Bacteria (SRB). Majority of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) research has focused on the activities of this type of bacteria. One of the primary reasons for this has been the presence of iron sulfides in corrosion products associated with MIC. SRB reduce sulfates to sulfides, which then react with iron and steel. However, an accepted fact is that MIC is also caused by the action of the biofilm produced by bacteria, in a similar way to under-deposit corrosion.
The primary method used to prevent MIC in the oil and gas industry is by use of biocides. The criteria used for selection of biocides is often their proficiency to kill SRB. The danger with this is that one can neglect the ability of other bacteria frequently found in oil and gas environment, such as general aerobes and general anaerobes to cause corrosion by biofilm production. This became evident when severe general & pitting corrosion was observed in two oil and gas separators in one of the facilities in Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), where SRB levels were zero but significant numbers of sessile and planktonic general aerobes and general anaerobes were found to be present in the process.
Using microbiological and chemical analysis, the mechanism of this type of MIC, specially the relationship between the quantity of various biofilm-forming bacteria and nature and magnitude of corrosion has been studied and the findings are presented in this paper.
In the Netherlands, a large drinking water distribution system exists which composes of a complex network of underground pipes owned by several water companies. Part of the drinking water distributions pipes consist of cast iron pipes of which some have been installed more than 80 years ago.1 To prevent leaks, it is desirable to have insight into the condition of these pipes and the risk of leakages or even pipe bursts. During local replacements and maintenance work, corrosion is regularly found in the pipes and previous research7 has indicated that Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) may be involved in this corrosion that is found in the pipes.
The problem of corrosion in wastewater structures. Renewal technologies for rehabilitation, repair, and replacement of existing systems, structures, and components.
The lengthy laterals of horizontal wells often pose microbiological challenges, as they provide more area to become microbially contaminated and require larger volumes of fluid and biocide for treatment. A Permian Basin oilfield has been experiencing MIC-related failures in its horizontal wells, which is of concern due to the associated high workover cost.
Laboratory biocide challenge testing identified several common oilfield chemistries and combinations thereof as being effective against this field’s population of microbes. However, aggressive applications of these products in the field neither delivered an effective microbial kill nor prevented the treated wells from experiencing further MIC and failures.
An acrolein field trial was conducted on a set of problematic, microbially contaminated horizontal wells over a time period of approximately one year. During this timeframe, these wells experienced microbial control for the first time, defined as meeting and maintaining microbial KPIs. Additional benefits were realized as a result of acrolein, including a dramatic improvement in water quality evident as a decrease in iron sulfide and suspended solids, a clean-out of the wells inferred by an initial increase of solids post-acrolein, a decrease in the corrosion rate as indicated by a significant reduction in iron and manganese counts, a decrease in the well failure rate, an increase in production, and an overall cost savings associated with the application of acrolein.
Zinc and its alloys are used as sacrificial anodes because zinc is an active metal. Carbon steel can be coated with zinc to protect against corrosion. These metals are known as galvanized steel. In this work, microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) of pure zinc and galvanized steel caused by a sulfate reducing bacterium was investigated. After 7 days of incubation in 125 mL anaerobic vials with 100 mL culture medium and 1 mL inoculum, the sessile cell count on the galvanized steel was slightly higher than that on pure zinc. The abiotic weight loss for pure zinc was 1.4 ± 0.1 mg/cm2 vs. 4.6 ± 0.1 mg/cm2 for galvanized steel after 7 days of anaerobic incubation at 37oC. The weight losses for galvanized steel and pure zinc were 31.5 ± 2.5 mg/cm2 and 35.4 ± 4.5 mg/cm2, respectively, which were 10X larger than the previously reported carbon steel weight loss in the same SRB broth. Electrochemical corrosion tests confirmed the severe corrosion of these two metals. The corrosion current densities of galvanized and pure zinc were 25.5 µA/cm2 and 100 µA/cm2, respectô€€€vely at the end of the 7-day incubation with SRB, confirming that pure zinc was more prone to SRB MIC than galvanized steel. In both cases, the corrosion product was mainly ZnS. Three MIC mechanisms were possible for the severe corrosion. Extracellular electron transfer MIC is thermodynamically favorable for Zn. Furthermore, the detection of H2 evolution in the vials suggest that proton attack and H2S attack occurred against Zn in the SRB broth with neutral pH after passive film damage by the SRB biofilm.
Under deposit corrosion (UDC) and microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) are threats to dead legs and low flow/intermittent flow pipelines. Deposit characterization methods, corrosion mechanisms, mitigation methods and monitoring are addressed.
Field test methods for estimating bacterial populations commonly found in oilfield systems. Historical Document 1994
Standard test method for microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) on internal surfaces of pipelines. Types of microorganisms, MIC mechanisms, sampling and testing. Research results, and interpretation of test.