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Scale Precipitation
Scale Precipitation
PRECIPITATION
CONTENTS
subject Page. No
List of figures 2
Introduction 3
Scale definition 3
Causes Of Scale 4
Identifying Scale 5
What damage does scale cause ? 9
What are the economics of scale ? 9
Scale Types 10
Identifying Scale Type 19
laboratory identification 19
Scale prevention 20
Scale Inhibitors 21
Scale Removal 22
Reference 24
LIST OF FIGURES
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INTRODUCTION
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SCALE DEFINITION
Scale is a solid mineral deposit usually formed from produced
salt water. Because water constantly dissolves and deposits solids,
scale is an endless problem in the petroleum industry. Scale occurs
in primary production wells, secondary wells, injection wells,
disposal wells, and pipelines that connect well to tank batteries.
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CAUSES OF SCALE
Scale can be caused by any one or a combination of several factors:
1- Pressure changes
2- Temperature changes
3- Iimpurise
4- Additives
5- Variation of flow rates
6- Changes in PH
7- Fluid expansion
8- Gas evaporation
9- Mixing of incompatible water
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IDENTIFYING SCALE
Identifying the location and composition of the scale deposit is
the first step in designing a cost effective remediation program.
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2)NEAR-WELLBORE MATRIX
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3)INJECTOR WELLS
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scale prevention
treatments.
SCALE TYPES
1)INORGANIC SCALES
treatment is combined with
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stimulation
Many mineral scales are found in the oil field, but calcium
carbonate, calcium sulfate, and barium sulfate are most common
and cause the most concern. Strontium sulfate is less common but
also causes problems. Iron compounds from corrosion and
oxidation are also common.
1.1)CALCIUM CARBONATE
Calcium carbonate or calcite scale is frequently encountered in
oilfield operations. But the calcite has the greatest stability in
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a- Pressure decrease.
b- Temperature increase.
e- Carbonate increase.
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1.2CALCIUM SULPHATE
Calcium sulphate deposits in oil fields can exist as Gypsum
(CaSO4 .2H2O) or Anhydrite (CaSO4). Of the two, Gypsum scales
are the most common. The precipitation of calcium sulphate from
water can be expressed as:
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Fig(6)
shows the relation between temperature and solubility of (caso4)
- Decrease in pressure
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1.3)BARIUM SULFATE
Barium sulfate (BaSO4) is a highly insoluble substance
(solubility of 2mg/l in water), and it usually cannot be
economically dissolved by a chemical agent. in most cases, the
only way to remove precipitated barium sulfate is by mechanical
scraping or reaming, which is troublesome and costly. Therefore,
managing barium sulfate wells economically requires preventing
precipitation with an appropriate scale inhibitor.
a- lower temperature.
b-dilution of brine content.
c- dilution of carbonate content.
d-mixing of incompatible waters.
The commingling of producing zones is the leading cause of
barium sulfate scale problems in the oil field. Because barium
sulfate is more soluble at higher temperature and pressure, it is
routinely encountered in waters from the deeper and hotter
petroleum wells. Water produced from deep, hot wells also tends to
have elevated brine and carbonate content, both of which increase
the solubility of barium sulfate.
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2) ORGANIC SCALES
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2.1)WAX PRECIPITATION
2.2)ASPHALTENE PRECIPITATION
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1- Water-soluble.
2- Acid-soluble.
3- Acid-insoluble.
LABORATORY IDENTIFICATION
Before trying to solve a scale problem, accurately determine
the material deposited. Two methods are used in the laboratory to
identify scales. the instrumental method and a chemical method.
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SCALE PREVENTION
Prevention is better than cure is particularly relevant to
inorganic scaling in the oilfield environment. At the forefront of
prevention are scale inhibitors chemicals. Scale inhibitors function
by interfering with scale crystal growth.
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SCALE INHIBITORS
Numerous chemical additives are effective at preventing scale
precipitation. Several inhibition products are presented in this
section according to their chemical category:
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CHOOSING AN INHIBITOR
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SCALE REMOVAL
The best method of removal is one designed around a chemical
analysis of deposit. The chemical composition of scale deposits
can be one or more of numerous possible combinations. This
deposit consisted largely of calcium carbonate but was found to
contain several other constituents.
1) MECHANICAL METHODS
2) CHEMICAL METHODS
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REFERENCE
1. Mike Crabtree, David Eslinger, Phil Fletcher, Ashley
Johnson and George King.: "Fighting Scale-Removal and
Prevention". Autumn 1999.
2. M.M.Jordan, G.M.Graham, K.S.Sorbie, A.Matharu,
R.Tomlins and J.Bunney.: "Scale Dissolver Application",
paper SPE 66565, presented at the 1998 formation damage
control conference, Louisiana, 18-19 February.
3. K.U.Raju, J.D.Lynn, W.N.AL-Nasser, M.Ayub and J.Hsu.:
"Low Scaling Potential Horizontal Wells and Scale
Inhibitor Treatment Strategy", paper SPE 50775, presented
for presentation at the 1999 SPE international symposium
on oil field chemistry, Texas, 16-19 February.
4. Collins, R. I. (2005). Predicting the Location of Barium
Sulfate Scale Formation in Production Systems. The SPE
International Symposium on Oilfield Scale. May 11 – 12.
Aberdeen, UK: SPE 94366, 1 – 6.
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