Microbially induced corrosion issues in the underground buried crude oil and natural gas bearing pipelines: A review

Microbially induced corrosion (MIC) damage in crude oil and natural gas-bearing pipelines is a severe threat for the petroleum industries. This is primarily due to the presence of hydrocarbons, which serve as nutrients for microorganisms. The comfortable growth of these microorganisms in hydrocarbon systems ultimately results in enhanced degradation of the pipelines. Hence, to understand the effect of microorganisms on the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons and its subsequent influence on the corrosion of pipeline materials, a detailed review of the literature has been carried out. This review is primarily focused on the principal factors and the major microorganisms responsible for biofilm development. Furthermore, the role of these microorganisms in causing MIC in underground buried petroleum-bearing pipelines has been reviewed in detail. Most importantly, the techniques required for studying MIC have been thoroughly discussed. In addition, a few microbial cases associated with various petroleum industries have been reviewed to acquire a clear understanding about the real situation.