The ACA’s Oil and Gas Technical Group hosted International guest Speaker Torben Lund Skohus and local experts Margarita Vargas and Laura Machuca for an interactive Forum focused on experiences with Microbially-Induced Corrosion (MIC) in the Oil and Gas Sector.
Presenters
Dr Torben Lund Skohus
VIA University College, Research Center for Built Environment, Energy, Water and Climate
Dr Torben Lund Skovhus is Associate Professor and Project Manager at VIA University College in the Centre of Applied Research & Development in Building, Energy, Water and Climate (Horsens, Denmark). Torben is currently chair of NACE TEG286X and ISMOS TSC an organization he co-founded in 2006. He is an international scientific reviewer and the author of 60+ 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. Co-editor of the books: Oilfield Microbiology (2019), Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion in the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry (2017) and Applications of Molecular Microbiological Methods (2014).
Dr Margarita Vargas
SUMMA Engineering Australia
Dr Margarita Vargas is the Managing Principal Consultant at SUMMA Engineering Australia. She has extensive technical, research and consulting experience in materials and mechanical engineering, corrosion, integrity management, engineering failure analysis and forensic engineering.
She is a subject matter expert in the fields of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) of steels and engineering failure analysis. Margarita has managed NATA accredited mechanical and materials laboratories, as well as multidisciplinary Biocorrosion Research facilities. As part of her various technical and consulting roles, she has extensively conducted third-party asset inspections, technical auditing and has served as expert witness for major projects within the Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Water, and Infrastructure industries.
Moderator Laura Machuca
Curtin Corrosion Centre
Dr Laura Machuca is an environmental microbiologist and corrosion subject matter expert, whose research activities focus on the interaction of microbes with metals and alloys. She works as a Senior Research Fellow at Curtin University and is the Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) research team leader at the Curtin Corrosion Centre (CCC). Her team applies a combination of expertise in microbiology, chemistry and corrosion science to investigate and mitigate the effects of bacteria on corrosion and deterioration of metallic equipment, vessels and pipelines, which cost the industry billions of dollars annually. Laura has expanded her research to study the microorganisms inhabiting the deep sea and their interaction with subsea infrastructures, which has led to the development of science programs with the Western Australian Museum and the Navy. She has been invited to present her work nationally and internationally to a variety of audiences including industry, public and academic.