Metabolo - Rawwater’s VFA-to-Sulfide Consumption Calculator
During secondary recovery, sulfate-rich water is injected into the subsurface to ensure continued oil production. This biologically-active water contains sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRM) which can readily utilise available carbon in the underlying formation water. This carbon often exists in the form of volatile fatty acids (namely acetate, propionate and butyrate) which can be oxidised by the SRM to reduce sulfate to sulfide).
Understanding the contribution of sulfide generation from the consumption of a set mixed VFA concentration is just one important aspect of understanding the souring propensity of a particular system (either in the laboratory or out in the field). Using Rawwater’s Metabolo calculator, you can readily calculate an anticipated sulfide concentration from VFA oxidation. This ‘lite’ version of the model assumes that the VFAs are used solely for sulfide generation (dissimilatory sulfate reduction) and that the end-point sulfide molecule is HS-. Simply enter your starting concentrations of acetate, propionate and butyrate in mg/L, and this lite version of the Metabolo calculator will calculate an anticipated sulphide concentration in mg/L.
To find out how to access the full Metabolo calculator, please get in touch.
