Control of Sulfate Reducing Bacteria in Oil & Gas Pipelines

Abstract

Abstract One of the major economical loss faced by the oil and gas corporate are due to the corrosion in the pipelines. The internal corrosion of the pipelines is basically caused by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB). The overall goal of the pipeline industry must be to preserve the pipeline as an asset as there is a huge cost associated with its replacement. Thus there is a requirement for developing a strategy for controlling the SRB population of oil and gas pipelines. The growth of SRB and their secondary metabolites in pipelines causes surface modifications, which can induce a more complex corrosion process. The outcome of the research will be advantageous to the oil and gas industry of the country. Thirty-four formation water samples were screened from 3 ONGC sites including Bombay high offshore, Gandhar and Ahmedabad. The presence of various species of SRB strains were identified as Anaerobaculum mobile, Thermodesulfovibrio yellowstonii, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, Thermotoga neapaitana, Clostridium sporogenes, Clostridium bifermentas, Desulfomatoculum kuznetsorii, Thermotoga hypogea by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. In this approach, biocides were screened, using different chemical laboratory techniques, to determine their effect upon a SRB population. Out of 15 chemical biocides, amine was effective against SRB at 50-ppm and above concentration. This will facilitate us with an efficient, and effective biocide to save the oil pipelines from the catastrophic effects of SRB.