Abstract
Microbial growth in the water injection system is a well-known problem with severe operational and financial consequences for the petroleum industry, including microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), reduced injectivity, reservoir plugging, production downtime, and extensive repair costs. Monitoring of system microbiology is required in any mitigation strategy, enabling operators to apply and adjust countermeasures properly and in due time. In previous studies [1] [2], DNA staining technology with SYBR Green dye was evaluated to have a sufficient detection limit and automation potential for real-time detection of microbial activity in the Saudi Aramco injection seawater. In this study, technical requirements and design solutions were defined, and an autonomous microbe sensor (AMS) prototype was constructed, tested and optimized in the laboratory, and validated in the field for automated detection of microorganisms in the harsh Saudi Arabia desert environment and injection seawater. The AMS prototype was able to monitor and follow the general microbial status in the system, including detection of periods with increased microbial growth or decreased microbial numbers following biocide injection. The infield AMS detection limit was 105 cells/mL. The long-term field testing also identified the areas for technical improvement and optimization for further development of a more robust and better performing commercial microbial sensing device.
Highlights
Microbial growth in oil and gas production systems is a well-recognized problem with severe operational and financial consequences to the global oil industry
Optimization for the autonomous microbe sensor (AMS) Prototype Detection Limit The initial tests with the AMS prototype showed that optimizations of the sensitivity were needed to reach the desired detection limits
1) Sample and Dye Incubation Time The fluorescence signal is triggered when the SYBR Green binds to DNA
Summary
Microbial growth in oil and gas production systems is a well-recognized problem with severe operational and financial consequences to the global oil industry. The growth of microorganisms and the formation of biofilm on the pipeline’s inner surfaces and process equipment led to an array of challenges, including biofouling, injectivity loss, reservoir plugging, and microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) [3] [4]. In the proof of concept study [1], five single-analyte methods were evaluated in the laboratory setup for the suitability of automation for detection of microbial activity in the Saudi Aramco injection seawater. Staining of cells with DNA binding fluorescent dyes (PicoGreen and SYBR Green) [5]-[8] followed by quantification of fluorescence signals was identified as a reliable and promising single-analyte method for automated, online determination of microbial cell abundance in the injection seawater system
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