Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D.

Petroleum Training

Microbiology
Natural Production GasEngineering Engineering

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Introduction

Identifytheproblemsassociatedwith microorganismsininjectionwater Identifythemicroorganismsofconcern Understandhowthesemicroorganismscause problems Reviewprocessesforpreventionmicrobialgrowth Reviewwaysofcontrollingmicrobialgrowth

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Agenda

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Overview MOsofConcern ProblemswithMicroorganisms Solutions Summary

ProductionEngineering

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Terms&Acronyms

MO MIC SRB DOM

Microorganisms,Microbesbugs MicrobiologicallyInfluencedCorrosion SulfateReducingBacteria Dissolvedorganicmatter

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

1. Overview

Bacteriacauseswidespreadfoulingand corrosionproblemsinoilfield operations Studiedsince1920s

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Overview
OperationsImpacted Problems Waterinjection Oilproduction Drillingandcompletion Operational difficulties fluids Potablewatersystems Structural Anywherethereswater disintegration and/orfailures Contaminated products
Natural GasEngineering Engineering Production

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

CostofCorrosion

$300billion/yr estimateddirectcostof corrosion:3%(GDP) $1.2billion/yr biocidal chemicalsinUS tofightMIC

$
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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

2.MOsofConcernin OilfieldWaters
Blue-green algae Iron bacteria Slime layer, Corrosion Catalyst Biomats & Catalysts in Corrosion: Iron Hydroxide & Sulfide Toxic Gas, Catalyst in corrosion, Souring S to H2SO4 Sulfides to S

SRBs Sulfur Oxidizing Bacteria Aerobic Natural oxidation GasEngineering Engineering Production

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

3.InjectionProblemsAssociatedwith MOs

a. BioFoulingofsurfaces b. MicrobialCorrosion
a. Metals&OtherMaterials

c. Lossofinjectivity d. SouringofProducingFormations

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

3a.BioFouling Coatingofpipessurfaceswith layerofbiologicalgrowth

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

EffectsofBiofouling

Pluggedformation Reducedflowefficiencyortotalblockage Slougheddeposits:problemsdownstream PrecursortoMicrobialInducedCorrosion (MIC)

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

WhyBiofilmsthriveininjection operations

MostMOsinseawateroccurandthrivewhen attachedtosurfaces
SolidSurfaces Particlessuspendedinwater OtherLargerMOs&Organisms

Injectionplantsprovidelargesurfaces

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

LimitingFactorsinFouling

SurfacerequiredforbiogrowthwhenDOM<10ppm Growthproportionaltonutrients Surfacesconcentrate nutrients Onceestablished growthgreatlyaccelerates Fluidvelocities<36ft/s dependingonsurfaceroughness Builduppolysaccharidelayertoprotectagainstvelocity Crudepresent hydrocarbonutilizingbacteriaslow
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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

TypesofBiofouling

Microfouling Macrofouling

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Biofouling
Aerobic Bulk Fluid
Eg. Injection Seawater

4. Macrofouling
BioFilm or Biomat forms Microfouling Food Source for MOs Pipe Surface

1. Surface accumulates Organic and Inorganic solids

2. Feed them and they will come! MOs attach and thrive where food is

3. Macro-larvae

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

BiofoulingControl

OptimizeIntakelocation Avoidstagnantareas Keepsystemclean Keepsystemsterile Optimizebiocide

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Treatment:

Mechanical
Pigging

Chemical

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

3b.MicrobialCorrosionor

Microbially InfluencedCorrosion(MIC)

Corrosionthatiscausedbythepresenceand activitiesofmicrobes. Mostalloyssusceptible MICCorrosionhasmanyforms

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

EffectsofMICCorrosion

Structuraldisintegration Corrosionfailures Operationaldifficulties Contaminatedproducts

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

RoleofMOs

Actas"catalysts,"incorrosion. Initiate,promoteandacceleratecorrosion.

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

How Surface Attachment of Solids MIC Occurs Attachment of MOs

Corrosion

Differential Concentration Cell

Bacterial Corrosion

Biofilms, Iron Bacteria

SRBs

Sulfate Oxidizing Bacteria

MIC

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MIC

MIC

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Differential AerationCell

Pitting Corrosion

Electrochemical gradient H+ movement

Anode + Lower O2 under biofilm due to consumption by Production Engineering aerobic MOs

Cathode Higher O2 concentration in Bulk liquid

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

SRBEnhancedCorrosion

Injection Seawater in Pipe: Aerobic Environment

Aerobic Biofilm Anaerobic: SRBs Thrive FeS Precipitate

Deposit Microenvironment can be ProductionEngineering radically different to bulk environment

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

IfSRB'sarestrictanaerobeswhyare theyfoundinaeratedsystems?

SRBscapableofremainingdormant inaerobicenvironmentuntil suitableconditionsarise

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

SRBs

Probleminanysystem Doublenumbersin20minutes
increasingnumbers alarmbells Cangetoutofcontrolquickly

Thriveinbiofilmmicroenvironment Thriveinextremesalinityranges CannibalremainsofotherMOs

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

CorrosionPitting
SidewayPits

TroughPits

Difficult to see Lead to unexpected failures

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

MICPittingCorrosion

Localizedintenseattack :cavitiesofvariablesizes anddepths Initiationsites

Failuresoftenoccurwithextremesuddenness. Pitsgrow inthedirectionofgravity

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

DoIhaveanSRBProblem?

AssumethatSRBsarepresentinallseawater waterfloodoperations
Treataccordingly

HireMicrobiologist

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

IronBacteria:Aerobic

Filamentousshapeenablesbiomatformation biofouling Corrosion:DifferentialCellAeration Ironoxidizingbacteriaproduceinsolubleiron hydroxide ProvideHomeforSRBs

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

3c.LOSSOFINJECTIVITY

Well blockage / plugging due to biofouling Slime forming bacteria cause microbial fouling. Blocks pore spaces Well bore problem Decline in injection rates

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

SolutiontoBioPlugging

Wellwashesbreakup biogrowth&restores injectivity Typicalwash

Acidtreatment(HCl)

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

3d.ReservoirSouring

Definition:
Previouslysweetoilfieldbeginstoproducefluids (oil,gas,water)containingH2S. CommonCause: Sulfate+SRBs+AnaerobicEnvironment=H2S
Commonafterwaterinjectionoperations Sulfatefromseawater(seawater3000mg/lSO42) SRBsinthereservoirorputthereduringinjection H2Sconcentrationfromafewto1000sppm
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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Operationalproblemswithformation souring

Safety,Health,Environmental,Liability&
Nuisanceconcerns Corrosionoftubing,casingandproduction facilities Scale Increasedironsulfidedeposits
Injectionandwellboreplugging

Affectproductvalue
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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

SouringPrevention&Treatment

RemoveSulfatefrominjectionwater Chemicals(biocidesandsulfidescavengers)to controlSRBorremovetheH2S. Note:somechemicalsusedforotheroilfield treatments(e.g.corrosioninhibitors)can encourageSRBgrowth

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

3dEmulsions

Sludge/emulsioninoil/waterseparation andstorage,duetoaccumulationof bacterial'mats',letalonetheadditional solidsfromcorrosionproducts(e.g.FeS) whichoftentendtoaccumulateat oil/waterinterfacesand/orgenerate neutrallybuoyantoil/solidsparticles.

ProductionEngineering

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

4.GeneralSolutionstoMicrobial Problems

Prevention
Frontend Operations

Treatment Future

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Maintenance
isbetterthancure

Prevention:

Frequentmonitoring& inspection Biocides&Inhibitors Removedeposits frequently

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

BiocideatWork

Theionbiocidekillsrupturesthemembraneofthe cellallowingtheionstodisrupttheDNA.

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

SweetWaterMonitoringforSRBs

LookatSulfideincreasesacrosswholesystem Sulfide Increase Lb Sulfide/d-1000ft2 0 0.001 0.002-0.004 0.005-0.009 0.01-0.019 0.02 & higher
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Rating None Very Low Low Moderate High Excessive

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

TheFuture

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

5.Summary

Mainproblemsassociatedwith microorganismsinwaterforinjectionare
CorrosionofMetals:MIC Lossofinjectivity FormationsSouring Foulingofsurfaces

CostofCorrosioninUSA$300billion/yr $1.2billion/yrbiocidalchemicalsinUSA
ProductionEngineering

Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Summary

Surfaceisrequired Bacteriaactas"catalysts,"incorrosion Biodepositsproduceorganicacidsandbyproductsthat initiatepropagate&acceleratecorrosionandcause Pittingcorrosionmostcommon Majorplayers: Bluegreenalgae,Ironbacteria,Sulfuroxidizingbacteria, SRBs

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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Micro & MacroFouling

MICRO-FOULING

Surface Water Intake? Seawater or Fresh

Yes

No

Attachment of Macro-Larvae/Algae

MACRO-FOULING
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Philip W. Johnson, P.E., Ph.D. Petroleum Training

Preventionisbetterthancure
OptimizeIntakelocation Avoidstagnantareas Keepsystemclean Keepsystemsterile Optimizebiocide

OnceDeveloped
Hardshell protectiveshield Highconcentrationsofbiocides
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