North Sea fouling organisms and their potential effects on the corrosion of North Sea Structures

Abstract

The importance of the occurrence and vertical distribution on North Sea structures of several important fouling species, e.g. the coelenterates Tubularia spp., Alyconium digitatum, Metridium senile, the serpulid tubeworms Pomatoceros triqueter, Hydroides norvegica and Serpula vermicularis, the barnacles Balanus spp. and the common mussel Mytilus edulis are discuss with respect to their effects on corrosion. A comparative account is given of the structure, developmental sequences and distribution of fouling communities form specific North Sea oil/gas fields.