Results of Meeting
(Sample letter of Commitment attached)
Statement of Problem:
Pipeline corrosion and reservoir souring are major issues facing the oil industry. Remediation and repair projects result in elevated costs, heightened risks (safety, health, environmental, economic) and a host of operating problems. Many souring and corrosion problems are related to microbial infection. Commercial biocide treatments to avoid corrosion and effects of other bacterial infestations are often only marginally effective, while being inherently dangerous and generally harmful to the environment. Potential Solutions to be Investigated: An effective, specific, cheap, safe to handle, natural and environmentally benign bactericide is needed. Such a bactericide may be found in bacteriophage (virus), the families of natural predators of bacteria and other problem microbes. Bacteriophages (or simply, phage) have the ability to destroy cultures of target bacteria, while being completely benign to all other microbes and higher life forms. Indeed phage are used in food preservation and human bacterial infection treatment. The use of phages in O&G operations to control of microbial-induced corrosion (MIC) with natural predators is a new concept. The goal of MIC control with phage inoculants is to control bacterial outbreaks which cause reservoir souring and reduce risk while increasing oil value and reserves. The need to increase long term reliability and lifetimes of oilfield tubular goods, process vessels and other steel components serves as a strong impetus to test this concept in controlled conditions relevant to our industry.
For more information, see http://www.phagebiocontrol.com |