Aberdeen-based oilfield microbiology experts NCIMB Ltd have entered into an exclusive distributor agreement with dP Fluiteq for distribution of their bacterial growth media in Malaysia and Asia Pacific.
The media is used in the oil and gas industry to assess the risk of microbiologically influenced corrosion in production facilities. This form of corrosion can contribute to failure of pipelines, and the presence and activity of microorganisms can also cause other issues in oilfield systems.
NCIMB is a biotechnology company with decades of experience in making media suitable for culturing bacteria from all kinds of different environments. The company developed a range of specialist oilfield media almost 20 years ago, and maintains a collection of microorganisms that includes bacteria isolated from oilfields and seawater. dP Fluiteq is a Malaysian chemistry and microbiology solutions provider, that operates in oil & gas, renewables and chemical industries.
dP Fluiteq’s Managing Director, Dev Menon and Consultant microbiologist Dr Carol Devine in Kuala Lumpur
NCIMB’s consultant microbiologist Dr Carol Devine said: “In the early days of the offshore industry, people were unaware of the risks of undetected microbial activity, but soon realised that microbial monitoring was an essential activity, to mitigate against financial losses and environmental impacts resulting from pipeline failures. NCIMB has been supplying oilfield microbiology media to companies operating in the North Sea for many years, so we are delighted to now be working with dP Fluiteq to grow our overseas sales.”
dP Fluiteq’s managing director Dev Menon said: “Bacterial analysis is often neglected in the oil and gas industry, but this can result in reservoir souring and microbiologically influenced corrosion. The mechanisms of microbiologically influenced corrosion are quite complex and include several different groups of microorganisms. However, NCIMB have decades of microbiology experience and an extensive track record of working with the oil and gas industry, so we are thrilled to be able to offer our customers their full range of oilfield microbiology media”.