Severe Corrosion of Carbon Steel in Oil Field Produced Water Can Be Linked to Methanogenic Archaea Containing a Special Type of [NiFe] Hydrogenase

Abstract

Methanogenic archaea have long been implicated in microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) of oil and gas infrastructure, yet a first understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms has only recently emerged. We surveyed pipeline-associated microbiomes from geographically distinct oil field facilities and found methanogens to account for 0.2 – 9.3% of the 16S rRNA gene sequencing reads. Neither the type nor the abundance of the detected methanogens correlated to the perceived severity of MIC in these pipelines. Using fluids from one pipeline, MIC was reproduced in the laboratory, both under stagnant conditions and in customized corrosion reactors simulating pipeline flow. High corrosion rates (up to 2.43 mm Fe⁰ yr⁻¹) with macroscopic, localized corrosion features were attributed to lithotrophic, mesophilic microbial activity. Other laboratory tests with the same waters yielded negligible corrosion rates (< 0.08 mm Fe⁰ yr⁻¹). Recently a novel [NiFe] hydrogenase, from Methanococcus maripaludis strain OS7, was demonstrated to accelerate corrosion. We developed a specific qPCR assay and detected the gene encoding the large subunit of this hydrogenase (labeled micH) in corrosive (> 0.15 mm Fe⁰ yr⁻¹) biofilms. The micH gene on the other hand was absent in non-corrosive biofilms despite an abundance of methanogens. Reconstruction of a nearly complete Methanococcus maripaludis genome from a highly corrosive mixed biofilm revealed micH and associated genes in near-identical genetic configuration as strain OS7, thereby supporting our hypothesis that the encoded molecular mechanism contributed to corrosion. Lastly, the proposed MIC biomarker was detected in multiple oil fields, indicating a geographically widespread involvement of this [NiFe] hydrogenase in MIC. IMPORTANCE Microorganisms can deteriorate built environments, which is particularly problematic in the case of pipelines transporting hydrocarbons to industrial end users. MIC is notoriously difficult to detect and monitor and as a consequence, is a particularly difficult corrosion mechanism to manage. Despite the advent of molecular tools and improved microbial monitoring strategies for oil and gas operations, specific underlying MIC mechanisms in pipelines remain largely enigmatic. Emerging mechanistic understanding of methanogenic MIC derived from pure culture work allowed us to develop a qPCR assay that distinguishes technically problematic from benign methanogens in a West African oil field. Detection of the same gene in geographically diverse samples from North America hints at the widespread applicability of this assay. The research presented here offers a step toward a mechanistic understanding of biocorrosion in oil fields and introduces a binary marker for (methanogenic) MIC that can find application in corrosion management programs in industrial settings.