The need for a standard relevant to "General Principles for Selection of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) Resistant Materials"

Important Note:

The below was sent to a reputable organisation as a proposal, however, they even did not bother studying it. As I am myself aware of the importance of this currently non-existing standard, I am copying my proposal here (1) to announce that I was the first who tried to realise this gap and to address it in a systematic way and (2) I am open to any constructive collaboration with any open -minded reputable organisation to develop such a standard.

Scope:

This standard will cover issues related to material selection for environments and industries in which microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) could be a source of concern. Some of these industries/systems ?are Pipelines (oil, gas, water, wastewater), Chemical process industry (H/X, Fire protection systems, condensers,…) Docks, piers, off-shore platforms (strainers,…) and other marine structures, Pulp and paper (rotating cylinder machines, white water clarifiers), Power generation plants (H/X, condensers, firewater distribution systems, Cooling water systems, …), Desalination systems (reverse osmosis membranes) and the like.

The materials to be considered will be ferrous (carbon steel, stainless steels, duplex stainless steels) and nonferrous (Cupronickel, Titanium,) and non-metals (composites and polymers) which are referred to as engineering materials.

This standard will focus on “must” s and “must not” s that need to be observed in selection of engineering materials for cases in which Risk of MIC is considered moderate to very high with corrosion rates, according to "NACE SP0775-2023 Revised February 9, 2023", will be moderate to high.

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The suggested organization of the proposed standard will be as below:

1.A section on the necessity of differentiation between Risk of MIC and MIC likelihood as per API 580 and API 581,

2.The difference between corrosion prevention and corrosion control and its importance in the practice of MIC,

3.A section on the history and current state of MIC mechanisms,

4.A brief update on identification methods of bacteria/archaea effective in inducing MIC,

5.Listing seven methods to prevent/control of MIC including the option of using MIC resistant materials,

6.Prioritizing of engineering materials with regards to their resistance towards microbial attack,

7.General criteria for engineering materials selection for environments vulnerable to MIC.

Description of need or rationale:

The most important standards, recommended practices and best practice related to MIC, in the past and now, can be lined up as follows:

API RP 38 “Recommended Practice for Biological Analysis of Subsurface Injection Waters” (1975)

ASTM D4412 – 84 (Reapproved 2009):” Standard Test Methods for Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in Water and Water-Formed Deposits” ASTM D932 ? 85 (Reapproved 2009): “Standard Test Method for Iron Bacteria in Water and Water-Formed Deposits”

ASTM E645 – 07: “Standard Test Method for Efficacy of Microbicides Used in Cooling Water Systems”

ASTM D6990 – 05 (Reapproved 2011): “Standard Practice for Evaluating Biofouling Resistance and Physical Performance of Marine Coating Systems”

Field Guide for Investigating MIC, Gas Research Institute, 1988

NACE TM0194-2014: Standard Test Method Field Monitoring of Bacterial Growth

in Oil and Gas Systems

NACE TM0194-2014: “Field Monitoring of Bacterial Growth in Oil and Gas Systems

TM0106-2016: “Detection, Testing and Evaluation of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion on External Surfaces of Pipelines” TM0212-2018: “Detection, Testing and Evaluation of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion on Internal Surfaces of Pipelines”

NACE Standard TM0106-2016: “Detection, Testing, and Evaluation of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) on External Surfaces of Buried Pipelines

NACE Standard TM0212-2012:" Detection, Testing, and Evaluation of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion on Internal Surfaces of Pipelines

51318-10889 “Development and testing of a laboratory-based MIC corrosion rate measurement device)

None of the above standards, cover the issue for materials selection .However, material selection has been mentioned and reviewed in some publications some example of which are:

Reza Javaherdashti, Farzaneh Akvan “Failure Modes, Effects and Causes of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion: Advanced Perspectives and Analysis”, Elsevier, 2020.

Reza Javaherdashti, Kiana Alasvand, “Biological Treatment of Microbial Corrosion”, Elsevier, 2019.

Torben Lund Skovhus, Dennis Enning, Jason Lee (Eds.) “Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion in the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry”, CRC Press, 2017

Due to both economic and ecologic consequences associated with MIC and the requirement for the assessment of Probability of failure (PoF) as per API 580/581, it is necessary to prepare a standard that in required length will cover the details associated with materials selection particularly susceptible to microbial attack.

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