Magnetized X80 pipeline steel

Residual field accelerates corrosion

X80 pipeline steel magnetized by residual fields from MFL inspection significantly promotes electron acquisition by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, accelerating microbiologically influenced corrosion in sea mud.

Ya-Jun, Gai · Li, Jiahang · Xie, Fei · Wang, Dan · Sun, Dongxu · Wang, Yuxin · Wu, Ming

Petroleum Science 2026

Advantages

Reveals residual field risk

Demonstrates that residual magnetic fields significantly accelerate MIC, providing a basis for post-MFL corrosion control.

Mechanistic electron transfer pathway

Magnetic fields activate magnetite and significantly promote extracellular electron transfer, enabling bacteria to acquire electrons from the metal surface more efficiently.

Clarifies mass transfer enhancement

Magnetic fields enhance mass transfer at the metal–electrolyte interface via Lorentz force, accelerating the corrosion process.

Applications

• Subsea pipeline integrity assessment：Assess accelerated corrosion risk from residual fields after MFL inspection
• Microbiologically influenced corrosion control：Identify residual magnetic fields as a promoter of SRB-induced corrosion
• MFL inspection tool calibration：Optimize MFL tool parameters to mitigate post-inspection corrosion