5 WATER TREATMENT MICROBIOLOGY INTRODUCTION Some knowledge of the behavior of microorganisms in water is extremely important since their presence can cause corrosion or plugging of equipment or the injection wellbore. They are simply another source of plugging solids or conditions which result in corrosion. Biology can be defined as that branch of knowledge that deals with living organisms and their vital processes. Thus, in its broadest definition, it is that part of science which is concerned with the life processes of plants and animals. Microbiology is one branch of biology which concentrates on microscopic forms of life known as microorganisms. Of primary concern in oilfield operations is the behavior of microscopic, single- celled organisms which are capable of living under all sorts of conditions and multiply with incredible speed. Microorganisms Found in Oilfield Water Systems Bacteria Bacteria comprise the broad class of microorganisms of greatest interest to us in water handling. ‘The bacterial cell has little visible structure, even when examined with an electron microscope. Around the outside there is a cell wall which gives the cell its shape. Inside the cell wall is a thin semipermeable membrane which surrounds the contents of the bacterial cell and selectively controls the passage of substances between the cell and its external environment. The cell is filled with water containing different minerals and chemicals. Most species are motile, meaning that the bacteria propel themselves through water by means of one or more whip-like flagella (singular: flagellum) which rotate and function like little outboard mo- tors. A generalized diagram of a bacterial cell is shown in Figure 5.1. CHAPTER 5 181WATER TREATMENT MICROBIOLOGY Semipermeable Membrane Celi Wall DNA Figure 5.1 Generalized Diagram of Typical Bacterial Cell Eucarya This group of micro-organisms includes algae, fungi and protozoa. Algae Algae are single-cell plants which contain chlorophyll. Algae manufacture their food by photo- synthesis using light as a source of energy and CO> as a source of carbon for all growth. They need sunlight for normal growth, although they can grow (slowly) in the dark. 52) Algae can form slime on the water surface which is easily identified by its green or blue-green color. It is often observed in stagnant water and in cooling towers. Algae are present in seawater, although usually not as slimes. There are significant numbers in ‘most oceans and they can contribute substantially to the plugging solids in the water, especially during algae “blooms” which occur at certain times of the year. Fungi Fungi generally grow better in aerobic systems and are thought to cause few problems in most ‘water injection systems. Protozoa Protozoa are the simplest form of animal life. They are found in both fresh and salt water and require oxygen to live. In water injection systems they are found in open tanks or pits. They are also found in filters when the water is aerated. Generally, control of the other microbial population suffices to control the protozoan population. Macro-Organisms ‘The oceans of the world contain creatures which are referred to as plankton. The term plankton is applied to all those animals and plants which live freely in the water and which, because of their limited powers of movement, just drift along with the water currents. This is not to say that they cannot swim. Some, such as crustacea and fish larvae, can swim very well, but they may not be able to swim faster than the water moves. Plankton may be grouped by sizes. Very large animals such as jellyfish are called megaloplank- ton. Those organisms which are readily visible with the naked eye and down to a size which is re- tained by a net with I mm holes are referred to as “coarse net” or macroplankton. Organisms smaller 182 APPLIED WATER TECHNOLOGYBACTERIA CLASSIFICATION than 1 mm in size, but larger than 75 Hm are microplankion. The smallest size is called nanoplank- ton. It includes tiny plants, bacteria, and creatures called flagellates, ‘The smallest flagellates, that is those below 5 jum, are sometimes called ultraplankton. Plankton are important to us because they make up a significant portion of the plugging solids in most seawaters. Also, they serve as food for larger creatures which may in turn contribute to plugging. BACTERIA CLASSIFICATION Bacteria may be classified in a number of ways. A description of some of the most common classification criteria follow. Size And Shape Bacteria are extremely small (about 0.5 um in diameter) and exist in literally thousands of spe- cies. True bacteria are shaped like spheres, straight rods, or curved rods. The shapes are named as follows: 1, Assingle spherical bacterium: coccus ‘occ Several spherical bacteria: As a matter of interest, a string or chain of cocci is called a streptococcus, while a sheet or plane of cocci is called a staphylococcus. 2. Straight rod: bacillus 3. Curved rod: Vibrio — single curve in the form of a “C” Sigmoid — shaped like an “S” Spirillum — two or more curves in the shape of a screw or spiral Growth The reason that bacteria can create so much trouble is that they can multiply with incredible speed. Some can double their population in 20 minutes under ideal conditions, which means that a single bacterium can become a thriving colony of millions of bacteria in a very few hours. A handful of slime from a water may contain as many bacteria as there are people in the world. Bacteria can withstand an extremely wide range of temperatures (at least 14-210°F[-10 to 99°C), pH values (about 0 to 10.5), and oxygen concentrations (0 to almost 100% oxygen).52) However, in water systems, they grow best in the pH range of 5-9 and at temperatures less than 180°F [82°C].°4 They also prefer fresh water, but can do nicely in brines. They are extremely adaptable and hardy. Bacteria can live either in groups or “colonies” attached to solid surfaces or suspended in water. Bacteria attached to a surface are called “sessile” bacteria. When they are suspended in water, they are termed “planktonic” bacteria, or sometimes simply “swimmers” or “floaters.” The majority of bacteria are sessile. It has been reported that in a typical system, there are 1000 to 10.000 times as many bacteria attached to a surface as there are floating in the water.°) It has also been shown that as sessile bacteria grow they produce a sticky substance called a polysaccharide, which the bacteria utilize to cement themselves to a solid surface. Continued CHAPTER 5 183