Internal corrosion related failures in oil and gas gathering systems are increasing, especially in
conditions categorized as “low risk” by computer modeling. Such systems usually exhibit, low
pressure, low temperature sweet gas production, and relatively low total dissolved solid
content waters. The failure rate is commonly influenced by two major factors; 1) undiagnosed
microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) mechanisms, and 2) the unappreciated impact of
corrosive chemical biocides used to treat sessile and planktonic bacteria. Low velocity gas
gathering systems are particularly difficult to treat for MIC as a result of pigging challenges and
the tendency for corrosive biocides to concentrate in the water phase over time. Here we
report a new water soluble quaternary ammonium compound, didecyldimethylammonium
bicarbonate/carbonate (DDABC), that acts as an MIC corrosion control agent against common
oilfield bacteria. At the proper dilution, DDABC also acts as a thin film forming anodic inhibitor
on steel. Supporting lab and field tests indicate this inhibitor is effective in competitive
evaluations against glutaraldehyde, THPS, and quaternary ammonium chloride based agents.
In a field trial reported herein, DDABC reduced the failure rate of a 1,653 km low velocity gas
gathering field to approximately one-sixth the original rate in a 20 month field trial.
Keywords: MIC, gas gathering, quaternary ammonium, anodic inhibitor, low velocity, DDABC