Damage to offshore production facilities by corrosive microbial biofilms

Abstract

In offshore production facilities, large amounts of deaerated seawater are continuously injected to maintain pressure in oil reservoirs and equivalent volumes of fluids, composed of an oil/gas, and water mixture are produced. This process, brewing billions of liters of biphasic fluids particularly rich in microorganisms, goes through complex steel pipeline networks that are particularly prone to biofilm formation. Consequently, offshore facilities are frequently victims of severe microbiologically influenced corrosion. Understanding of microbiologically influenced corrosion is constantly growing. In the laboratory, the inventory of potentially corrosive microorganisms is increasing and microbial biochemical and bioelectrical processes are now recognized to be involved in corrosion. However, understanding of corrosive multispecies biofilms and the complex metabolic processes associated with corrosion remains a considerable challenge as simple laboratory biofilms comprising pure or defined mixed cultures poorly represent the complexity of in situ biofilms. Complementary, antagonistic, and parallel microbial pathways occur within the complex microbial and inorganic matrix of the biofilms which can lead to high corrosion rates. This mini-review explores models of microbiologically influenced corrosion and places them in the context of the multispecies biofilms observed in situ. Consequences of mitigation strategies on biofilm corrosiveness and dispersal are also discussed.

Nutrient Level Determines Biofilm Characteristics and Subsequent Impact on Microbial Corrosion and Biocide Effectiveness

“…Surface colonisation is followed by the formation of biofilm structures that provide several ecological advantages to the microorganisms over planktonic growth (1). Sessile microorganisms have greater access to nutrients and other resources accumulating at surfaces, superior environmental stability, enhanced opportunities for interactions such as horizontal gene transfer and cometabolism, protection from physical disturbances and antimicrobial compounds (2).…”

Effect of selected biocides on microbiologically influenced corrosion caused by Desulfovibrio ferrophilus IS5

“…In fact, microorganisms capable of directly using metallic iron as an electron donor and aggressively attacking the metal infrastructure have been isolated from marine environments 10 , 11 , 15 . Such a mechanism has been termed electrical MIC, or EMIC, and has been reported to occur by SRM, methanogens, nitrate-reducers, and acetogens 14 , 16 – 22 . Some SRM have been known to aggressively attack carbon steel in the absence of an organic carbon source 18 , 22 .…”

“…Such a mechanism has been termed electrical MIC, or EMIC, and has been reported to occur by SRM, methanogens, nitrate-reducers, and acetogens 14 , 16 – 22 . Some SRM have been known to aggressively attack carbon steel in the absence of an organic carbon source 18 , 22 . For example, Desulfovibrio ferrophilus strain IS5 is reported to be one such lithotrophic organism isolated from a seawater environment that is capable of an EMIC mechanism 11 , 23 .…”

Microbiologically influenced corrosion in floating production systems

“…With the depletion of onshore reserves, offshore exploration and production of oil and gas has increased sharply. In particular, Western Australia's oil and gas industry is a vital component of Australia's national economy, producing over 70 per cent of Australia's natural gas, crude oil, and condensate In particular, microbial contamination and consequent microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) represents a serious problem to FPSO operations, which can incur significant costs, and be difficult to control 4,5 . The number of FPSOs that have been in operation for significant time has increased worldwide and the issues are usually common to all operators.…”