Technical Bulletin
Product Description
LifeCheck® ATP is a bacterial monitoring tool that measures the metabolic activity found in any fluid that may contain microbes. ATP
is the energy storage molecule found in living cells. When ATP is combined with Luciferase, an enzyme, light is produced that can be
measured and the amount of ATP calculated. This mass of ATP can then be converted into bacteria per ml and be used as a
comparison to other bacterial enumeration methods. ATP assay methods have been in use for 35+ years but only with recent
advances has it become useful for oil and gas fluids.
Packaging
LifeCheck® ATP is packaged into two stand-alone kits; LifeCheck® ATP Planktonic Kit measures total intracellular ATP in the water
for planktonic bacterial counts and LifeCheck® ATP Sessile Kit measures total ATP on the surface for sessile bacterial counts. Each kit
provides the user with the basic tools to run an ATP assay. Options add-ons such as the Rinse kit and the Swab kit extends the
capabilities to a much wider variety of applications.
Benefits
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Reliable results in 10 minutes or less
Choice of field prep and lab analysis or complete full
analysis in the field
Simple procedures with complete kit
Easy to adapt to multiple applications
Properties
All reagents are stable at ambient temperature and can be stored at room temperature (recommended <25°C / 77°F) except the
Reagent Z. This enzyme will rapidly lose its efficacy if left at temperatures above 30°C / 85°F (recommended storage between 4-25°C
/ 40-77°F). Reagent Z is shipped in its freeze dried form and hydrated as needed to maximize the shelf life of the enzyme.
Recommended Uses
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Any fluids
o Produced waters
o Fracturing fluids
o Fresh water source/Recycled fluids
o Emulsions
o Sales oil
o Drilling muds
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Any Surface
o Pipe/Equipment walls
o Solids and scales
o Coupons
o Failure analysis
Biocide Selection Tests
Interpreting and Understanding Bacterial Activity as Measured by ATP
LifeCheck ATP provides a direct quantification of the mass of ATP and can be converted to Microbial Equivalents ME (bacteria per
ml) using a standard volume of ATP found in cultured E. coli. LifeCheck ATP provides for your convenience a spreadsheet that
calculates the mass of ATP and then gives the estimation of ME in the form of a log of bacteria which is the same as the number of
positive bottle growth. Culture media (bug bottles) is the traditional measurement in the oil and gas industry. The table below was
developed as a guideline to interpreting results from field data and biocide selection testing.
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Technical Bulletin
Choosing the Right Kit and Add-on
Planktonic Kit
Use the Planktonic Kit to find the mass of the intracellular ATP from any type of fluid. The measurement of ATP can then be
converted into a microbial equivalent per milliliter. Note if the fluid is from a freshwater location that may contain algae and other
life forms the conversion to bacteria will not be accurate, but does provide a reliable indicator of the biomass that is present in the
fluid. This load is important to understanding the possible dosage rates for biocides.
LifeCheck ATP Planktonic Kit for:
Rinse Kit Add-On For:
Produced fluids < 100,000 TDS or 10% salinity
Produced fluids > 100,000 TDS or 10% salinity
Produced fluids < than 10% hydrocarbons
Produced fluids > than 10% hydrocarbons, emulsions
Freshwater sources
Interfacial pads
Recycled fluids
Sales oil, Fuels (Micro-droplets of water in oil can harbor bacteria)
Industrial Waters, rinse waters, cooling towers
Metalworking fluids, lubricants
Biocide Selection Tests (Note – adding the rinse step may improve removal of potential interferences with some oxidizers)
Sessile Kit
Use the Sessile Kit to find the total mass of ATP from any surface. The kit is divided into the main kit that is designed for direct
extraction of the ATP from any surface. Second, there is the Swab add-on for surfaces where it isn’t possible for a direct extraction.
LifeCheck ATP Sessile Kit for:
Swab Kit Add-On for:
Corrosion coupons
Pipe / equipment walls
Solid deposits
Slime deposits
Biologically active filtration media
Failure analysis
For more information contact:
Calgary
OSP MICROCHECK
Phone: (403) 291-1658 Fax: (403) 250-6711
or
Houston
OSP TELOMER
Phone (281) 497-2692 Fax: (281) 531-8029
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