The Application of Molecular Microbiological Methods for Early Warning of MIC in Pipelines

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Product Number: 51313-02029-SG

ISBN: 02029 2013 CP

Author: Jan Larsen

Publication Date: 2013

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Microbiological measurements performed during routine inspection in the Danish Sector of the North Sea showed that two multifase pipelines were in risk of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) due to high numbers of troublesome methanogens and sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP). Modeling of test results (based on quantitative PCR (qPCR)) when performing a MIC risk assessment showed that the time required for pitting corrosion to start in the two pipelines was 544 days and 860 days respectively. Prior to initiating any costly mitigation procedures it was decided to determine whether the biofilms were active by measuring the average number of RNA molecules per cell in samples from the pipelines using Reverse Transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Previous work has established that this is a good measure for the activity level of microbial cells. The measurements showed that microbial cells in pipeline 1 were highly active whereas the cells in pipeline 2 were not. Based on these results it was decided that the risk of MIC was high in pipeline 1. This work illustrates a strategy for obtaining early warning of MIC based on molecular microbiological methods (MMM) used during routine system monitoring and when to undertake remedial action.