ABSTRACT
Multiple families of microorganisms have been implicated in microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) within the oil and gas industry, as well as in other fields, resulting in billions of dollars in damage annually. The ability to detect these organisms in a timely and accurate manner can allow for the implementation of appropriate treatment regimens to mitigate costs and downtime. Transporting unprocessed samples to a laboratory can be fraught with risk, however, as during transport the microbial composition in the sample can change substantially, triggering misleading results. Here we describe the development and initial validation of a user-friendly sampling kit for field-based collection and preservation of both water and solid (biofilm) samples. This kit contains consumables and reagents allowing most samples to be processed in <15 minutes. Following processing, nucleic acids within the sample are stable at ambient temperature for an extended period, allowing safe transport to a laboratory.
