Oilfield Microbiology

Torben Lund Skovhus is a researcher and project manager at VIA University College in the Centre of Applied Research and Development in Building, Energy and Environment (Horsens, Denmark). He graduated from Aarhus University, Denmark, in 2002 with a master's degree (cand.scient.) in biology. In 2005 he earned a PhD from the Department of Microbiology, Aarhus University. In 2005, Torben was employed at Danish Technological Institute (DTI) in the Centre for Chemistry and Water Technology, where he was responsible for the consultancy activities for the oil and gas industry around the North Sea. Torben was heading DTI Microbiology Laboratory while he was developing several consultancy and business activities with the oil and gas industry. He founded DTI Oil and Gas in both Denmark and Norway, where he was team and business development leader for five years. Thereafter Torben worked as project manager at DNV GL (Det Norske Veritas) in the field of corrosion management in both Bergen and Esbjerg. Torben is currently chair of NACE TEG286X and ISMOS TSC, an organization he cofounded in 2006. He is an international scientific reviewer and the author of 50+ technical and scientific papers and book chapters related to industrial microbiology, applied biotechnology, corrosion management, oilfield microbiology, water treatment and safety, reservoir souring, and biocorrosion. He is coeditor of Applied Microbiology and Molecular Biology in Oilfield Systems (Springer, 2011); 3rd International Symposium on Applied Microbiology and Molecular Biology in Oil Systems (Elsevier, 2013); Applications of Molecular Microbiological Methods (Caister Academic Press, 2014); and Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion in the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry (CRC Press, 2017). Corinne Whitby is a senior lecturer in environmental microbiology at Essex University with over 15 years' research experience. Her research focuses on the following areas: (1) microbes involved in N/C cycling, (2) microbial biodegradation of hydrocarbons specifically naphthenic acids (NAs), (3) impact of nanoparticles on microbial communities, and (4) microbial communities in bioaerosols. She is currently PI on several research grants (totalling over £3.9M) including a 3-year NERC funded project "The role of lateral exchange in modulating the seaward flux of C, N, P" (NE/J011959/1), a 3-year NERC-funded project with Forest Research to analyze the "Spatio-temporal dynamics of microbial community structure and function across an afforestation chronosequence" (NE/K006924/1). She is co-i on an EU-funded project for FrameWork 7 (FP7) to measure "Human Exposure to Aeorosol Contaminants in Modern Microenvironments" (HEXACOMM). Her applied work has always been knowledge-exchange driven, working closely with end-user beneficiaries, particularly the oil industry. Since post, at Essex University her research has centered on developing novel and effective biological technologies to treat toxic hydrocarbon contaminated wastewaters, which has led to two current patent applications. In addition to research, she has extensive undergraduate and postgraduate teaching experience, including module organizer and curriculum development for environmental microbiology, biotechnology, and molecular biology. Dr. Whitby has more than 10 years' experience preparing and delivering lectures, practicals, workshops, and tutorials at all levels as well as assessment of exams/coursework.

1. Highlights of 10 Years of Research in Petroleum Microbiology Part I: Modeling of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) 2. Modeling of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion—Limitations and Perspectives 3. Modeling Microbiologically Influenced Marine Corrosion of Steels Part II: Microbially Influenced Corrosion (MIC) and Reservoir Souring 4. Microbial Communities Involved in High Salinity Souring in Shale Oil Fields 5. RNA and Biocorrosion—Collection, Transport, and Extraction Standardization of Samples from the Oil Sector 6. Rapid In-Field Collection and Ambient Temperature Preservation of Corrosion-Related Microbial Samples for Downstream Molecular Analysis Part III: Biocides and Biofilms in the Oil and Gas Industry 7. Perchlorate and Its Application in the Oil and Gas Industry 8. Lab-on-a-Chip Model for Investigating the Effect of Biocides on Co-Culture Biofilms 9. Considerations for Evaluating Biocidal Efficacy on Biofilm Formation of Oil Field Relevant Microorganisms Part IV: Hydrocarbon Biodegradation 10. Insights into the Mechanisms and Microorganisms Catalyzing Methanogenic Hydrocarbon Biodegradation in Petroleum Reservoirs 11. Culturable Microbiome and Biodegradation Activity of Diesel B5 and Biodiesel (B100) in a Contaminated Soil Bioremediation Study 12. Bioremediation of Crude Oil by Indigenous Bacteria in Bohai Bay 13. Modeling the Impact of Dilution on the Microbial Degradation of Dispersed Oil in Marine Environments Part V: "Omics" and Novel Technologies for the Oil and Gas Industry 14. Environmental Surveillance of Marine Systems Using Genosensors: Application to Offshore Activities Part VI: Microbial Exploration and Enhanced Oil Recovery 15. Application of Nitrate-Reducing Bacteria in Oil Reservoirs for Enhanced Oil Recovery 16. Microbial Exploration Techniques: An Offshore Case Study