Dr Okoro Chuma 's research grant

Lead Researcher

Title Dr
Firstname Chuma
Middlename
Surname Okoro
Phone 08033072754
Email chuma2k2001@yahoo.com

Research Grant Details

Research Topic Development of Novel Technology for diagnosing and remediating problems associated with Oil field, reservoir souring and corrosion in the Petroleum industry
Benefit to Oil and Gas Remediation of corroded oil facilities on-going. Design of automatic diagnosis techniques completed and test run carried out.
Research Duration 2
University Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State
Abstract Microbial communities associated with souring and corrosion in some selected Nigerian oil fields were diagnosed using chemical, culture dependent and culture independent methods. At Bonny terminal facility, microorganisms associated with souring and corrosion such as Betaproteobacteria, Bacteriodetes, Methanolobus and Methanocalculus were found in conjunction with sufficient organic nutrients, sulfate, sulfide and ferrous ions. At Obigbo facility, zero sulfate injection water reduces the chances of sulfate reduction and subsequent souring but the presence of considerable concentration of organic nutrients and corrosion causing methanogens such as Methanomicrobium, Methanolobus and Methanocalculus can explain why Obigbo pipelines are subject to corrosions despite the use of zero sulfate injection water that excludes sulfate reduction. Methanogenesis therefore dominated microbial activity at Obogbo and Bonny terminal. At Bonga deep offshore, sulfate reduction dominated microbial activity as shown by the presence of high sulfate injection water and sulfate reducing microbes like; Caldiferrivibrio, Desulfotomaculum, Dentrovibrio, Marinobacterium, Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria. The microbial activity at Escravos was a combination of sulfate reduction and methanogenesis with known souring and corrosion microbial groups like; Marinobacterium, Rhodospirillaceae, Desulfuromonadeceae, Firmicutes, Thermoanaerovibrio, Methanosaeta, Methanococcus, Methanocalculus and Methanomicrobium. Microbial activity at Meren was mainly sulfate reduction with Halomonas as the dominant indigenous microbial group associated with souring and corrosion. The present study clearly diagnosed the microbial communities associated with souring and corrosion in the oil fields investigated and the diagnoses is site specific because it varied from one facility to another. The second phase of the research will focus on appropriate remediation with the aim of significant reduction or total elimination of corrosion and souring episodes in the diagnosed oil facilities.

Other Researchers