Inspection, Integrity and CorrosionMicrobiologically Influenced Corrosion
A water injection line or a fire main dosed with biocide can still pit through in months beneath a tubercle nobody disturbed. This programme is about microbiologically influenced corrosion alone. Delegates begin with the organisms involved, sulphate reducing bacteria, acid producing bacteria, iron and manganese oxidisers and methanogens, and how biofilms build the local chemistry that drives attack. They study where MIC appears: stagnant branches, hydrotest water left standing in new piping, tank floors, cooling circuits and buried steel beneath disbonded wrapping. Sampling and diagnosis follow, from serial dilution culture vials to ATP, qPCR and gene sequencing, and the morphology of microbial pits under the microscope. Mitigation covers pigging, biocide selection and dosing, nitrate treatment and design changes. Delegates leave able to investigate a suspected microbial failure.
Course objectives
- Explain how biofilms and microbial metabolism create corrosive local conditions
- Identify the main microbial groups implicated in corrosion
- Recognise systems and conditions where microbial attack is likely
- Plan field sampling of water, solids and deposits for microbial analysis
- Interpret culture, ATP, qPCR and sequencing results
- Distinguish microbial pitting morphology from other forms of localised attack
- Select biocide, pigging and nitrate strategies for a given system
- Evaluate whether a failure was microbially driven
Who should attend
- Corrosion engineers in oil and gas, water and mining operations
- Production chemists managing biocide programmes
- Water treatment specialists for cooling and injection systems
- Pipeline integrity engineers
- Failure investigators and laboratory staff
Course outline
- 01Microbial groups and biofilm formation
- 02Mechanisms of microbial attack on steel
- 03Systems and conditions at risk
- 04Field sampling and sample preservation
- 05Culture, ATP and molecular methods
- 06Pit morphology and failure diagnosis
- 07Biocides, pigging and nitrate treatment
- 08Design and operating practices that deny microbes a foothold
- 09Investigating a suspected microbial failure
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 to 16 October 2026 | Durban, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 16 to 20 November 2026 | Pretoria, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 14 to 18 December 2026 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate | |
| 15 to 19 February 2027 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate |
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion
From R8,500