SGER: Exploration of Microbial Influenced Corrosion in Prudhoe Bay Oil Field Pipelines

由于金属表面的长期磨损，腐蚀是困扰现代社会基础设施的一个问题。管道、储罐、分离器和其他设备的腐蚀可能导致泄漏，进而导致健康和安全问题、环境破坏以及代价高昂的工业和服务中断。阿拉斯加普拉德霍湾油田因意外严重的管道腐蚀而被迫关闭，就是一个及时的例证。在这种情况下，问题是由微生物影响的腐蚀(MIC)引起的，而这一小笔探索性研究补助金(SGER)是为了解决这一紧迫情况而颁发的。以确定直接引起MIC的特定微生物群落为目标的调查相对较少。这是因为获取真正的受腐蚀影响的管道样本是破坏性的，而且成本高得令人望而却步。必须利用部分普拉德霍湾管道的更换作为微生物学家获取问题地区腐蚀性生物膜样本的机会，并将这些地区与无腐蚀管道部分相互作用的微生物种群进行比较。现代分子微生物学和基因组学的非凡工具将被用来进行这样的比较，目的是识别最常与腐蚀有关的生物。比较腐蚀性和非腐蚀性生物膜的微生物区系，并测试这些社区的能源，将为未来的控制措施提供基础。同样的程序将用于管道液体和污泥，以确定微生物来自哪里，以及烃类降解菌在MIC中扮演什么角色。了解管道生物膜中导致腐蚀的细菌的身份和功能可能会导致更有针对性的监测和控制工作。这些措施可能有助于在腐蚀过程变得过于严重之前缓解它们。也有可能设计出改变微生物生物膜群落的新陈代谢的方法，使其远离腐蚀，而不是直接危害更小的过程。了解腐蚀问题远远超出了对阿拉斯加输油管道的直接影响。腐蚀在社会的许多部门都是一个问题。各种实体(石油公司、监管机构、许多行业等)要知道，MIC在控制措施、更换部件、产品中断和环境破坏方面是一项巨大的成本。然而，整个社会都受到腐蚀的影响，因为成本最终会转嫁到消费者身上。因此，腐蚀导致加油站价格上涨，并几乎影响到现代生活的方方面面。这项研究是一个独特的机会，可以深入了解MIC的性质，至少是因为它影响了美国能源供应系统的基础设施。

Corrosion is a problem that plagues the infrastructure of modern society through the chronic wearing of metal surfaces. Corrosion of pipelines, tanks, separators and other equipment can result in leaks that, in turn, lead to health and safety concerns, environmental damage and expensive disruptions of industries and services. A timely illustration is the unexpectedly severe pipeline corrosion necessitating the shutdown of the Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska. In this case, the problems are caused by microbial-influenced corrosion (MIC), and this Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) is being awarded to address this urgent situation. There have been relatively few investigations whose goal is to identify the specific microbial communities that are directly responsible for MIC. This is because it is disruptive and prohibitively expensive to obtain real corrosion-impacted pipeline samples. It is imperative that the replacement of a portion of the Prudhoe Bay pipeline be used as an opportunity for microbiologists to obtain samples of corrosive biofilms in problem areas and to compare the interacting microbial populations in these areas with those in corrosion-free pipeline sections. The remarkable tools of modern molecular microbiology and genomics will be used to make such comparisons with the goal of identifying the organisms most often associated with corrosion. Comparing the microbiota of corrosive versus non-corrosive biofilms and testing the energy sources for these communities, will provide a basis for future control measures. The same procedures will be used on pipeline fluids and sludges to determine where the organisms come from, and what role hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria play in MIC.Understanding the identity and function of corrosion-causing bacteria in pipeline biofilms will likely lead to more targeted monitoring and control efforts. Such measures may help mitigate corrosion processes before they become too severe. It may be also be possible to devise ways of altering the metabolism of microbial biofilm communities away from corrosion to less immediately harmful processes. Comprehending corrosion problems go well beyond the immediate impact in the Alaskan pipeline. Corrosion is a problem throughout many sectors of society. Various entities (oil companies, regulatory agencies, many industries, etc.) know that MIC is a substantial cost in terms of control measures, replacement parts, product interruptions and environmental damages. However, society as a whole is affected by corrosion since the costs are ultimately passed on to consumers. As such, corrosion contributes to higher prices at the pump and to virtually all aspects of modern life. This study represents a unique opportunity to gain insight on the nature of MIC, at least as it impacts the infrastructure of the U.S. energy supply system.