In an emailed press release, independent energy expert and assurance provider DNV (Høvik, Norway) joined ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company (Houston, Texas, USA) and Microbial Insights, Inc. (Knoxville, Tennessee, USA) in a joint industry project (JIP) to develop the next generation of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) detection, monitoring, and mitigation technology.
With global costs of corrosion estimated at $2.5 trillion, the JIP aims to significantly enhance detection and monitoring methods of MIC. Difficult to detect and monitor, MIC poses a significant problem in numerous industries — taking early action to mitigate its effects can protect the environment and safe operations by reducing the risk of costly pipeline failures.
Assembling MIC experts from across the industry, the JIP plans to create up to 1,200 datapoints of corrosion-to-biomarker correlations, generated on simulated pipelines with actual field water and participant-selected service conditions. The team aims to develop methods, tools, and workflows (i.e., biomarker technology) to improve reliable detection of MIC in oil field operations, heavily leveraging advanced laboratory bioreactors and molecular analytical platforms that have been specifically developed for MIC biomarker discovery and key performance indicator development.
“Working with ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company and Microbial Insights, we will unravel the most relevant MIC mechanisms prevalent in oil and gas operations to better understand their impact on corrosion,” says Richard S. Barnes, region president, energy systems North America at DNV. “The focus of the JIP is to develop leading indicators which allows operators to develop and implement the right approach to address MIC in its earliest stages, protecting people and the environment while ensuring continuous, safe operations.”
“Corrosion is a global issue, and the work we have already undertaken at DNV to mitigate pipeline failure risk caused by MIC has given us a platform to further the advancement of early detection methods,” adds Dr. Susmitha Purnima Kotu, JIP lead at DNV. “The MIC biomarkers identified during this JIP could also be used to monitor and manage MIC for other applications, including underground gas storage, offshore wind turbines, cooling water plants, water storage tanks, drinking water pipelines, ship hulls, [and] fuel tanks.”
Molecular methods for the detection and characterization of microorganisms in oil field waters have emerged, but data tends to poorly correlate to system integrity and cannot currently be used as a leading indicator for MIC. Instead, MIC is most often diagnosed through analysis of metal-associated biofilms after damage has already occurred and other abiotic mechanisms have been excluded as root causes. Consequently, the management of MIC remains a significant and potentially damaging challenge, with industry continuing to suffer from instances of shortened service life infrastructure due to undetected, harmful microbial activity.
In addressing this issue, DNV intends to partner with 6-10 additional project participants with a history of MIC or areas of particular interest for use in laboratory simulation to assist in generating samples that will aid biomarker discovery.