SCALE DEPOSITION,

REMOVAL &
PREVENTION.

Associate Professor D. J. Pack

September 2010
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
 Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention

S l C
Scale Contributors
t ib t
Sodium chloride Na Cl - generally known as common salt
Calcium carbonate CaCO3 - commonly found in rock, also
referred to as limestone
Calcium sulphate CaSO4 - white solid also known as gypsum
Iron carbonate FeCO3 - can be found in shale, sandstone
and sedimentary rock
Magnesium hydroxide Mg(OH)2 - inorganic compound
Magnesium carbonate MgCO3 - white solid
B i
Barium sulphate
l h t B SO4 - white
BaSO hit crystalline
t lli solid
lid
Strontium sulphate SrSO4 - white crystalline powder
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention

The main causes of pipeline scale are:

Pressure and temperature reduction

Exceeding solubility limits for a particular compound

Change in pH level

Mixing of fluids

Change in composition of fluid

Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention

Pig trap full of

“black powder”
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention

Natural gas being vented

h
heavily
il congested
t d with
ith
“black powder”.
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition,
Deposition Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention

Blockage of a pressure regulator pilot

Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention

Deposits around a gas turbine fuel injection nozzle

Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention

“Elemental Sulphur” build up on a Flow Conditioner.

Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
Scale Deposition,
p Removal and Prevention

Natural gas hydrates are solid,

non--stoichiometric
non t i hi t i compoundsd off
small gas molecules and water.
They form when the constituents
come into contact at low
temperature and high pressure.

Hydrates are non-

non-flowing
crystalline solids that are denser
than the typical fluid
hydrocarbons.
The gas molecules they contain
are effectively compressed
compressed.

G Hydrates
Gas H d t
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
 Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention

G Hydrates:
Gas H d t

• Hydrates
y have p
potential as a future energy
gy resource
• Related to climate change
• Affect strength of sediments in which they are found (care in
constructing underwater structures)
• Hydrates currently cause blocking in some underwater natural gas
pipelines
• Hydrates
y mayy be an alternative to pipeline
pp transmission as a way
y to
move natural gas from deep water to the terminals of existing
offshore pipelines
Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
 Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention
12000

Dewpoint Curve

10000

Critical Point
8000
ure (kPa).

Hydrate Curve
6000
Pressu

Bubblepoint Curve

4000
0 OC

2000

0
-170 -150 -130 -110 -90 -70 -50 -30 -10 10 30 50
Temperature (deg C)
C).
 Scale Deposition, Removal and Prevention

Definitions:

Asphaltenes are best known for clogging wells, surface facilities and
sub-surface formations in the oil field. Changes in pressure,
temperature, composition and shear rate may cause asphaltene
precipitation and deposition.
These changes may be induced by a variety of processes,
processes including
primary depletion, injection of natural gas or carbon dioxide,
acidizing treatments and commingled production of incompatible
fl id
fluids.

Emulsions consist of a suspension of small globules of one liquid in

A second liquid with which the first will not mix.

Flocs – this is a pprocess where colloids come out of suspension

p in the
form of floc or flakes