Microbiology and its Applications in Produced Water Management and Treatment

Abstract

Microbiology and its Application in Produced Water Mangement and Treatment

Sulphate-reducing bacteria are well known to give immense problems in the oilfield, frequently causing reservoir souring and with consequent dangers of sulphide stress-corrosion cracking of steels, plus biofouling and under-deposit corrosion, all of which are touched upon in the presentation. The major part of the presentation discusses the beneficial uses of bacteria in the oilfield, briefly on nitrate treatment and MEOR, but mostly on biological treatment of produced water in various activated sludge processes. Finally, guidelines are given on when to choose microbiological processes for treatment of produced waters.