Danish University Colleges
An industry perspective of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC): From biofilms to asset integrity management
Skovhus, Torben Lund; Koerdt, Andrea
Publication date:
2020
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Citation for pulished version (APA):
Skovhus, T. L., & Koerdt, A. (2020). An industry perspective of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC):
From biofilms to asset integrity management. Paper presented at IWA Biofilms 2020 Virtual Conference.
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Download date: 24. Mar. 2022
IWA Biofilms 2020 Virtual Conference
December 7-10, 2020
An industry perspective of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC):
From biofilms to asset integrity management
Skovhus, T.L.* and Koerdt, A.**
* VIA University College, Chr. M. Østergaardsvej, 8700, Horsens, Denmark
**Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
Keywords: Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC), Biofilm, Biocorrosion, Engineering Systems, Risk Based Inspection (RBI), MIC Modelling
Summary of key findings
This study gives a review of the history and current state-of-the-art in microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) research in engineering systems such as maritime, utility systems and the energy sector. The study highlights the importance of stronger collaboration between industry researchers and academia (e.g., a transdisciplinarily research approach, providing data or results, access of scientists to industrial facilities). It also identifies the various silos that exists among technical scientific disciplines and explains some of the existing barriers between them. Finally, the study highlights the importance of stronger emphasis on risk assessment models, industry standards and training of personnel, when it comes to the understanding, mitigation and management of MIC and biofouling.
Background and relevance
Managing MIC is both an economic and technological challenge for water, energy and maritime industries, to name just a few. There are numerous studies and data generated regarding corrosion mechanisms and the microbial species involved, and chemicals have been developed that may enhance/inhibit MIC. However, these data are diffuse; sometimes having contradictory conclusions and ignoring one or more key factors that drive MIC.
This study investigates the evolution of MIC knowledge over the past decades, identifies current knowledge gaps and proposes future research directions. Although MIC mechanisms, monitoring, and control have been active areas of research in recent years, the ability to link microbiological activities, the chemical environment and corrosion mechanisms still remains an important knowledge gap. The importance of a coordinated transdisciplinary approach to develop integrated knowledge, MIC models, and integration of key factors in effective decision-making is also discussed.
Results
This presentation (i) discusses trends in MIC prediction, modelling and sharing of data; mainly discussing MIC models from an end-user perspective (e.g. both Mechanistic and Risk Based Inspection MIC Models), and (ii) describes the results from a newly performed online gap analysis/survey among key stakeholders working with MIC in their daily life in both academia or industry.
Microorganisms can initiate and promote corrosion in different ways, e.g., affecting both charge and mass transfer in corrosion reactions. No mechanistic models currently exist that consider the influence of multiple functional groups of microorganisms on reaction kinetics or the significance of microbial growth kinetics on corrosion. It can also be assumed that microorganisms exist that cause MIC but have not been identified so far. This may be due to the fact that, e.g., in real cases of corrosion damage no investigation of the microbial community has taken place, or the underlying mechanisms are still
unknown and difficult to validate. The ability to accurately predict MIC initiation and growth is
hampered by knowledge gaps regarding environmental conditions that affect corrosion under biofilms.
In order to manage the threat of corrosion relative to asset integrity, operators commonly use models to support decision-making.These models use qualitative, quantitative or semi-quantitative measures to help predict the rate of degradation caused by MIC and other threats. A new model that links MIC in topsides oil processing systems with risk-based inspection (RBI) through the application of data obtained by molecular microbiological methods MMMs, and its implementation, is presented and discussed.
The survey results and application of the models will be discussed and evaluated in the context of MIC threat assessment in engineering systems.
Discussion
MIC research in, for instance water, energy and maritime industries has seen a revolution over the past decade with the increased application of molecular microbiological methods (MMM) and new
industry standards; however, MIC prediction, modelling, mitigation and the differentiation between MIC and abiotic corrosion are areas that have not been fully developed. Models can provide numerous benefits, e.g., guidance on MIC mitigation selection and prioritization, identification of data gaps, a scientific basis for risk-based inspections, and technical justification for asset design and life- extension.
Although MIC knowledge has evolved considerably in the past decades, there are still a number of key knowledge gaps. Based on our study, the following conclusions are obtained:
- MIC research is transdisciplinary in nature; however, it is siloed between two main subject areas: material/corrosion sciences and microbiology/environmental sciences.
- The detection of MIC, measuring what proportion of corrosion is caused by biotic or abiotic, and to what extent the two complement each other.
- In terms of assessing and managing MIC, both corrosion and microbiological conditions need to be considered. However, relating the MIC initiation and growth to microbiological activity and other conditions, such as the chemical environment and mitigation approaches, is very challenging because of the dynamic and hard-to-predict nature of MIC.
- Modeling MIC failure is also challenging, as MIC has many possible effects, including pitting, crevices, or dealloying corrosion.
- Effective MIC prevention and mitigation requires understanding of microorganisms’
contributions and subsequent impacts of the metal-fluid interactions.
Addressing these challenges requires a trans-disciplinary research approach to develop new dynamic data integration and modeling frameworks to address challenges such as (i) the integration of factors involved; (ii) data scarcity, potential uncertainty, and the dynamic nature of contributing factors; and (iii) capturing the potential correlation between different phenomena (e.g., microbiological activity and the surrounding chemical environment).
Therefore, the development of MIC data processing models should be integrated with day-to-day corrosion management processes, to ensure effective integrity management of susceptible assets.
References
Andre de A. Abilio, Richard B. Eckert, Torben Lund Skovhus, and John Wolodko (2019). Modeling of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) for Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) in the Oil and Gas Industry: Screening Influential Parameters.
7th International Symposium on Applied Microbiology and Molecular Biology in Oil Systems (ISMOS-7), Halifax, June 18- 21, 2019.
Torben Lund Skovhus, Christopher Taylor and Richard B. Eckert (2019). Modeling of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion—Limitations and Perspectives. Book chapter in Oilfield Microbiology. CRC Press. ISBN 9781138057753.
TL Skovhus & C Whitby (2019). Oilfield Microbiology. CRC Press. ISBN 9781138057753.
Seyed Javad Hashemi, Nicholas Bak, Faisal Khan, Kelly Hawboldt, Lianne Lefsrud, John Wolodko (2018). Bibliometric Analysis of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) of Oil and Gas Engineering Systems, CORROSION.
2018;74(4):468-486.
John Wolodko, Rick Eckert, Tesfa Haile, Javad Hashemi, Faisal Khan, Andrea Marciales, Ramirez, Christopher Taylor and Torben Lund Skovhus (2018). Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) in the Oil and Gas Industry - Past, Present and Future. Corrosion 2018, paper C2018-11398, Houston, TX: NACE International.
R Eckert & TL Skovhus (2018). Advances in the Application of Molecular Microbiological Methods in the Oil and Gas Industry and Links to Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion. Journal of International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 126:169-176.
Mohammed Taleb-Berrouane, Faisal Khan, Kelly Hawboldt, Richard Eckert & Torben Lund Skovhus (2018). Model for microbiologically influenced corrosion potential assessment for the oil and gas industry, Corrosion Engineering, Science and Technology, 53:5, 378-392.
Torben Lund Skovhus, Richard B Eckert and Edgar Rodrigues (2017). Management and control of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in the oil and gas industry - Overview and a North Sea case study. Journal of Biotechnology, 256:31-45.
TL Skovhus, J Lee and D Enning (2017). Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion in the Upstream Oil & Gas Industry. CRC Press. ISBN 9781498726566.
TL Skovhus, ES Andersen and E Hillier (2016). Management of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion in Risk Based Inspection Analysis, SPE-179930, SPE International Conference and Exhibition on Oilfield Corrosion, Aberdeen, UK, 9–10 May 2016.
TL Skovhus, L Holmkvist, K Andersen, H Pedersen and J Larsen (2012). MIC Risk Assessment of the Halfdan Oil Export Spool, SPE-155080, SPE International Conference and Exhibition on Oilfield Corrosion, Aberdeen, UK, 28–29 May 2012.
Presenting Author Please attach a photo of the presenting author.
Torben Lund Skovhus, MSc, PhD
Microbiologist, Docent and Project Manager
VIA University College, Research Center for Built Environment, Energy, Water and Climate
Is the presenting author an IWA Young Water Professional? Y/N
(i.e. an IWA member under 35 years of age) No
Dr. Torben Lund Skovhus is Microbiologist, Docent and Project Manager at VIA University College in the Centre of Applied Research & Development in Building, Energy, Water and Climate (Horsens, Denmark).
He graduated from Aarhus University, Denmark in 2002 with a Master's degree (cand.scient.) in Biology.
In 2005 he finished his PhD from Department of Microbiology, Aarhus University.
In 2005, Torben was employed at Danish Technological Institute (DTI) in the Centre for Chemistry and Water Technology. Torben was heading DTI Microbiology Laboratory while he was developing several consultancy and business activities with the oil and gas industry. He founded DTI Oil & Gas in both Denmark and Norway where he was Team and Business Development Leader for five years. Thereafter Torben worked as Project Manager at DNV GL (Det Norske Veritas) in the field of Corrosion
Management in both Bergen and Esbjerg.
Torben is currently chair of NACE TEG286X and ISMOS TSC an organization he co-founded in 2006. He is an international scientific reviewer and the author of 70+ technical and scientific papers and book chapters related to industrial microbiology, applied biotechnology, corrosion management, oilfield microbiology, water treatment and safety, reservoir souring and biocorrosion. He is scientific/technical reviewer with >20 international journals in the same fields.
He is the co-editor of the following books:
Oilfield Microbiology (2019), Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion in the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry (2017), Applications of Molecular Microbiological Methods (2014), 3rd International Symposium on Applied Microbiology and Molecular Biology in Oil Systems (2013), Applied Microbiology and Molecular Biology in Oilfield Systems (2011).
In 2020 he received the NACE International Technical Achievement Award.
