Bacterial contamination in the oil and gas industry is prevalent in both downstream and upstream activities. Bacterial induced corrosion typically impacts many materials including carbon and low alloy steels, copper alloys, and stainless steels. Corrosion and fouling contribute to downtime and increased production costs. This problem can be better managed by understanding where microorganisms exist and when they need to be controlled. Treatment with biocides is the most common approach for mitigation of bacterial induced corrosion.
Traditional methods to detect biocide efficacy often rely on time-consuming growth in culture media, which is not the best indicator of biocide activity. Recent technological advancements in the chemical and bio-defense industry provide miniaturized sensors that potentially have the capability for real-time monitoring of multiple targets. These technologies make detection and identification faster, more convenient, more sensitive, and more specific than conventional analytical techniques. QA-UK believes these technologies can be modified and expanded on to be utilized for the petrochemical industry.
We have shown strong capability in bacterial detection in water, and of small molecule detection and quantification. We are seeking an end user to help guide our approaches to meet their precise needs.
We are also working with the leading nanotechnology company in this area, to provide bespoke solutions .