6.3.3 Souring Control by Novel Biotechnological Approaches
By Injection of Bacteriophage for Killing the SRB Bacteriophage is a virus that
infects the bacteria specifically. In order to control souring, these viruses can act as a
good approach for bacteriocidal activity. Summer et al. (2017) patented method for
prevention and remediation of reservoir souring and corrosion by treatment of
virulent bacteriophage (Summer et al. 2017). Their approach was to control souring
by specifically targeting the problematic bacteria by virulent lysogenic
bacteriophages. These problematic microbes are sulfate reducing bacteria and acid
producing bacteria that cause souring and corrosion in oil fields.
By Injection of (per)Chlorate Perchlorate and chlorate (combinedly known as a
(per)chlorate) are new metabolic inhibitors that can be applied in the oil fields for
souring control. (per)chlorate oxyanion is present in nature and anthropogenically
synthesized due to its wide uses (Liebensteiner et al. 2014). Perchlorate (ClO 4
À ) is a
soluble anion that has a central chlorine atom and is surrounded by four oxygen
atoms. To control souring (per)chlorate has the following effects: (1) Bio-competitive
exclusion (2) Oxidation of sulfide, (3) Inhibition of sulfate reduction pathway
(Okpala and Voordouw 2018).
6.4
Microbial Corrosion Control
Besides souring, corrosion is one of the major problems faced by the oil industries.
Corrosion can be CO 2 mediated corrosion, oxygen corrosion, galvanic corrosion,
crevice corrosion, erosion corrosion, and microbiological induced corrosion (MIC)
(Popoola et al. 2013). Among all the different types of corrosion, microbiologically
influenced corrosion occurs mostly in the oil fields. Microbiologically influenced
corrosion occurs due to microbial activities. Microbial activities produce CO 2 , H 2 S,
and organic acids and corrode the pipelines. The general principle for the working of
corrosion inhibitors to inhibit corrosion is the formation of protective barriers to the
metal/metal oxide through chemisorption, physisorption, complexation, or precipitation. Corrosion inhibitors either neutralize the action of corrosive substances or
form protective films/stabilizing the pre-existing protective films. Therefore, they
prevent the access of oxygen to the cathode, prevent the hydrogen diffusion from the
cathode, or inhibit the dissolution of the metal. Inhibitory efficiency of corrosion
inhibitors depends on the pH, temperature, duration, metal composition of pipeline,
and the structural properties of inhibitor molecules (Lukovits et al. 2001). Corrosion
inhibitors also slowdown the corrosion reaction. In the biological context, some
corrosion inhibitors prevent the adhesion of microbes to metal surfaces (Videla and
Herrera 2009).
6 Application of Biotechnology in Oil and Gas Industries
123
By Injection of Bacteriophage for Killing the SRB Bacteriophage is a virus that
infects the bacteria specifically. In order to control souring, these viruses can act as a
good approach for bacteriocidal activity. Summer et al. (2017) patented method for
prevention and remediation of reservoir souring and corrosion by treatment of
virulent bacteriophage (Summer et al. 2017). Their approach was to control souring
by specifically targeting the problematic bacteria by virulent lysogenic
bacteriophages. These problematic microbes are sulfate reducing bacteria and acid
producing bacteria that cause souring and corrosion in oil fields.
By Injection of (per)Chlorate Perchlorate and chlorate (combinedly known as a
(per)chlorate) are new metabolic inhibitors that can be applied in the oil fields for
souring control. (per)chlorate oxyanion is present in nature and anthropogenically
synthesized due to its wide uses (Liebensteiner et al. 2014). Perchlorate (ClO 4
À ) is a
soluble anion that has a central chlorine atom and is surrounded by four oxygen
atoms. To control souring (per)chlorate has the following effects: (1) Bio-competitive
exclusion (2) Oxidation of sulfide, (3) Inhibition of sulfate reduction pathway
(Okpala and Voordouw 2018).
6.4
Microbial Corrosion Control
Besides souring, corrosion is one of the major problems faced by the oil industries.
Corrosion can be CO 2 mediated corrosion, oxygen corrosion, galvanic corrosion,
crevice corrosion, erosion corrosion, and microbiological induced corrosion (MIC)
(Popoola et al. 2013). Among all the different types of corrosion, microbiologically
influenced corrosion occurs mostly in the oil fields. Microbiologically influenced
corrosion occurs due to microbial activities. Microbial activities produce CO 2 , H 2 S,
and organic acids and corrode the pipelines. The general principle for the working of
corrosion inhibitors to inhibit corrosion is the formation of protective barriers to the
metal/metal oxide through chemisorption, physisorption, complexation, or precipitation. Corrosion inhibitors either neutralize the action of corrosive substances or
form protective films/stabilizing the pre-existing protective films. Therefore, they
prevent the access of oxygen to the cathode, prevent the hydrogen diffusion from the
cathode, or inhibit the dissolution of the metal. Inhibitory efficiency of corrosion
inhibitors depends on the pH, temperature, duration, metal composition of pipeline,
and the structural properties of inhibitor molecules (Lukovits et al. 2001). Corrosion
inhibitors also slowdown the corrosion reaction. In the biological context, some
corrosion inhibitors prevent the adhesion of microbes to metal surfaces (Videla and
Herrera 2009).
6 Application of Biotechnology in Oil and Gas Industries
123