Corrosion of X80 pipeline steel under sulfate-reducing bacterium biofilms in simulated CO2-saturated oilfield produced water with carbon source starvation

Abstract

Corrosion of X80 pipeline steel under sulfate-reducing bacterium (SRB) biofilms, which formed in a culture medium at different times, in a simulated CO2-saturated oilfield produced water was investigated. Both planktonic and sessile SRB cells survived after 21 days of immersion in the water under carbon source starvation. The biofilms pre-cultured with a longer time increased the corrosion rate of the steel. At 37 °C, it took about 4 days for SRB to grow and then participate in the steel corrosion. The SRB also facilitated localized corrosion. The SRB biofilm, once deactivated, would no longer affect the steel corrosion.