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Microbiology in a Geothermal Operation

A geothermic system faced serious injection obstruction problems two-and-a-half months after start-up. The obstruction was so severe that the operation was suspended and research was done in order to determine the cause. To solve the obstruction problem the system was treated downhole using acid and biocide. During this treatment dangerous amounts of H2S were released. This study was initiated to understand the reason of this problematic and give options for treatment and prevention. The results show high amount of bacteria in the obstruction material indicating that microorganisms caused the obstruction. The detected species were typical thermophilic species with optimal growth temperature at 40-60 ºC. The change in temperature in combination with the used oxygen scavenger containing nutrientsnecessary for microbial growth and activityis suspected to have caused the obstruction.The H2S formation was likely caused by a combination of biological FeS formation and the release of H2S by the addition of acid during cleaning. To prevent this type of issues biocide treatment is recommended not only during but also before operation is started. Alternatives for biocides have been investigated as well however more research is needed to understand the practical feasibility of those alternatives.

Product Number: 51319-12818-SG
Author: Sabine Doddema
Publication Date: 2019
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