Scale Management

Technologies and techniques that protect your

production from the reservoir to the surface
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The M-I SWACO Scale-Management System
Our system for managing scale in your wells encompasses the
complete cycle of scale control, including:
Identifying a problem
Identifying a solution
Prescreening and laboratory qualification of suitable products
Offshore qualification and optimization
Follow-up
Re-evaluate the treatment and start the process at the beginning,
if necessary
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M-I SWACO gives you
control over scale because
we understand how it works
The first step in creating an effective
scale-management program is to
thoroughly understand the scale
formation mechanism, the well/
formation environment and the
options available for treatment.
With this methodology as a guide,
M-I SWACO* has designed an
effective scale-management
strategy that considers:
Why mineral scales are formed, how
they are deposited and how these
deposits can grow
Predictions of when and where scale
will be formed
Evaluations of the various potential
inhibitor chemicals, including those
that can be modified or developed
for a particular situation
The techniques required to success-
fully deploy the inhibitors and
ensure their continued effectiveness
Options for scale removal when
either inhibition has not been
used or the strategy applied has
not been successful
Our prescreening process
identifies where problems
are likely to occur
Based on available data from the well
or process system, we use computer-
simulation software, such as Petrotechs
MultiScale^ package, to predict and
evaluate scale potential and risk. Our
highly trained and knowledgeable
personnel assess the results, which are
then used to evaluate scale potential
and the process environment. This
evalua tion becomes the basis for a
chemi cal screening and the selection
of products for laboratory testing.
Meeting your criteria is at the
heart of our laboratory and
field evaluation processes
Our all-inclusive portfolio of environ-
mentally acceptable scale inhibitors
and treatment methods is a result of
one of the industrys most extensive
laboratory evaluation programs.
Products selected from our pre-
screening process undergo laboratory
evaluation based on the customers
criteria for deploying chemical treat-
ment. Our technical-service scale lab-
oratories in Aberdeen and Bergen
have the expertise and tools to carry
out all tests required for qualifying a
suitable product package, including:
Static prescreening test for compati-
bility, efficiency and adsorption
Dynamic tube-blocking tests both at
High-Temperature, High-Pressure
(HTHP) and Low-Temperature, Low-
Pressure (LTLP) for determination
of injection dosage or minimum
inhibitor (threshold) concentration
Core flood to simulate scale
To enhance the process, we employ
specialized, proprietary software that
predicts the occurrence, location and
severity of potential scale problems.
Scale
precipitated
mg/L
Formation water
Na 50000
Ca 3000
Ba 300
Sr 700
HCO
3
1000
SO
4
0
Seawater
Na 12000
Ca 350
Ba 0
Sr 5
HCO
3
150
SO
4
2750
CaCO
3
BaSO
4
SrSO
4
100
100%FW 100%SW 50:50
The emphasis we place on pro -
viding total service is reflected in
our onsite performance evaluations
that employ a unique dynamic scale
test rig to ensure our products per-
formance in the field is consistent
with what we have observed in
laboratory evaluations.
We prove our products
environmental compliance
for every application
Before any product can be used in
the field it must first be approved
by the M-I SWACO GLP-approved
ecotoxicological laboratory in Bergen.
This laboratory ensures that all pro-
posed products comply with each
countrys environmental require-
ments. We perform a variety of
ecotoxicological tests, including
biodegradation (OECD 306), bio -
accumulation (OECD 117, 107)
and toxicity testing.
All of the most widely used chemi-
cal types of scale inhibitors exhibit
relatively low toxicity in the marine
environment and do not tend to
bioaccumulate. Yet, because of their
very low level of biodegradability,
these chemicals have a high persist-
ence. In response to the demands
of the industry, M-I SWACO now
supplies a number of new polymeric
and phosphorus-containing scale
inhibitors to meet the industrys
demands for more environmentally
acceptable scale-control chemicals.
Innovative scale-inhibition
technologies for the most
demanding conditions
Due to increasingly complicated well
completions, production from harsh
environments such as HTHP and
deep water fields, and stricter environ-
mental regulations, we have invested
heavily in the development of new
scale-control technology. The result of
that investment is a comprehensive
line of scale-inhibitor chemistries and
deployment techniques, focusing on
three niche areas:
a. Continuous scale-inhibitor
injection via gas-lift system
b. Preemptive squeezing of
reservoirs using non-aqueous-
base scale inhibitors
c. End-capped polymeric
scale inhibitors
Gas-lift scale inhibition
Deploying scale inhibitors via gas lift
is a cost-effective means of managing
scale formation within the production
tubing. M-I SWACO has developed a
range of gas-lift scale inhibitors that
can be customized for any scaling
By reproducing conditions within the annulus and gas-lift valve, M-I SWACO is able to assess the
injection-gas-to-scale-inhibitor ratio that is likely to cause gunking.
OFN gas
supply
Flow meter
1-way flow
valve
PRV
Pump
SI
Heating
coil, SI
SI bleed
line
Abs. P
inlet
Abs. P
outlet
PC
(logging)
DPT
Heating
coil, OFN
Micro-bore
test coil
Needle
valves
Oven Outlet
sample
collection
vessel
Sampling
valve
Pressure-control valve
PCV
Injection well
Co-mingling
Gas
Water
Oil
Incompatible formation water and injection
water co-mingle. Sulphate scale forms as a result
of change in water composition.
Continuous wellhead addition
scale inhibitor Gas
Oil export to refinery
Separator
Heater
Production
wellhead
Annulus/gas lift injection
Scale-squeeze inhibitors
Solid-scale inhibitors
Rat-hole
Horizontal
section
Water
injection
Injection
well Injection
water
Formation
water
Oil
Reservoir
Flotation Lagoon,
buffer
tank
Filter
regime. These products have been
fully assessed for inhibition and eval-
uated using a technique that exam-
ines performance under dynamic
conditions. The evaluation replicates
the actual flow regimes and gas-
to-scale-inhibitor mixing ratios at
critical points within the system,
including the annulus, gas-lift valve
and sump.
Our cutting-edge gas-lift scale
inhibitors all exhibit four key
characteristics:
Acceptable environmental
properties
Viscosity of <20 cP as supplied
and after any volatile loss
Corrosivity of <0.1 mm/yr
Compatible with a wide range
of brine compositions, including
high calcium
Preemptive squeezing
with non-aqueous-base
scale inhibitors
In recent years M-I SWACO has
conducted extensive research on
identifying scale-inhibitor chemis -
tries and deploying techniques for
squeezing, using non-aqueous-base
scale inhibitors. Regardless of the
chemistry or the means of delivering
the chemical into the near wellbore,
the reasons for the development of
non-aqueous-base scale inhibitors
have been twofold:
The desire for scale protection
prior to a well cutting water
The ability to squeeze scale inhibitor
into a water-sensitive reservoir
without causing formation damage
Non-aqueous-base scale inhibitors
are required for wells where severe
scaling is predicted at the onset of
water production or for unmanned
platforms where the mobilization
time can be so lengthy that it puts the
asset at risk. Additionally, reservoirs
containing illitic or smectitic clays are
sensitive to the application of aqueous-
base scale-inhibitor treatments.
Many operators now consider
preemptive treatment with a non-
aqueous-base scale-inhibitor package
an essential requirement of their total
scale-management strategy. Regard less
of the severity of scaling at the onset
of water production, a non-aqueous-
base treatment prevents scale for -
mation and protects asset value.
M-I SWACO has developed a
range of non-aqueous-base scale
inhibitors that has been independ-
ently assessed as Best-in-Class and
superior to those of our competitors.
In the field, squeezes with our non-
aqueous-base treatment package
have delivered signif icant increases
in oil productivity. Key features
of our non-aqueous-base scale
inhibitors are:
Customizable to any scaling regime
Eliminate the tendency for
emulsion formation
Proven field results
Stimulate oil production
after squeezing
We deliver a scale-squeeze
design tailored to
your project
M-I SWACO designs scale-squeeze
treatments based on the specific
information available for each well,
inhibitor properties determined in
the laboratory and computer simu-
lation tools such as SQUEEZEVI*. In
cooperation with the customer, the
treatment and placement can then
be optimized using well and near-
well reservoir models.
This graph illustrates test conditions mimicking those expected within the annulus. As shown, all con -
ditions examined revealed no differential-pressure increase, thereby preventing the formation of gunk.
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600
Injection time, min
D
i
f
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P
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s
s
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e
,

p
s
i
OFN = 1.0 L/min
SI = 0 SI =
1.0 mL/min
DP ~ 41 psi
SI = 0.5
mL/min
DP ~ 33 psi
SI = 0.25 mL/min
DP ~ 30 psi
Injection
continued over
20 hrs
O
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h
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g
e
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OFN =
1 L/min
A battery of tests in
the laboratory ensures
positive results in the field
Products selected from prescreening
undergo laboratory evaluation based
on the customers criteria for deploying
chemical treatment. Our technical- service
scale lab ora tories in Aberdeen and Bergen
have the expertise and tools to carry out
all tests required for qualifying a suitable
product package including:
Static prescreening test for com patibility,
efficiency and adsorption
Dynamic tube-blocking tests both at
High-Temperature, High-Pressure (HTHP)
and Low-Temperature, Low-Pressure
(LTLP) for determination of injection
dosage or minimum inhibitor
(threshold) concentration
Core flood to simulate scale
Scale-inhibitor static tests
Static beaker (bottle) tests have become
an industry-recognized standard, used
routinely to assist with the performance
evaluation of scale-inhibitor products.
M-I SWACO per forms static beaker tests
including inhibitor efficiency, adsorption,
compatibility and thermal stability as
the first round of inhibitor screening.
Inhibitor compatibility test: Interactions
between inhibitor species and multivalent
ions in the brine can cause incompatibility
problems in the field of application. In
particular, the formation of inhib itor/Ca2+
complex can lead to a precipitation. If such
a complex forms in the near-wellbore area,
it could result in formation damage. These
tests are carried out by visual observations
to an inhibitor sample at a given pH,
temperature and brine chemistry.
Inhibitor adsorption and thermal
stability tests: Both test pro cedures are
frequently performed in the M-I SWACO
scale laboratory. The maximum temper -
ature at which to safely conduct these
tests is 203 F (95 C).
Scale-inhibitor dynamic tests
Scaling-loop tests evaluate the effi ciency
of chemical inhibitors and are carried
out under dynamic conditions to more
closely simu late actual field conditions.
M-I SWACO has installed a custom-built
HTHP tube-blocking rig to enable us
to conduct large-scale screening of
scale inhibitors across a wide range
of conditions.
The tube-blocking rig is comprised of:
HPLC piston pumps
A miniature oven with twin
heating systems
Heating-control and electronic modules
A back-pressure vessel and
control system
A computer and computer interface
for data recording and monitoring
Differential pressure transducer
The HTHP tube-blocking equipment
can be operated at system temperatures in
the range of 392 F (200 C) and pressure
conditions in excess of 3,000 psi (207 bar).
The units HPLC pumps allow a maximum
flow rate of 50 mL/min. All data is col-
lected by the computer, allowing easy
organization and presen tation of the
information generated. We also operate
three low-pressure rigs in which pressure
can be more accurately controlled for
carbonate-scaling regimes.
HTHP core-flood apparatus
Our scale laboratory is equipped with HTHP
core-flood equipment used to monitor scale-
inhibitor adsorption and release character -
istics under reservoir conditions. It can also
examine potentially harmful mechanisms
such as fines migra tion, clay swelling and
chemical damage associated with perform-
ing well-intervention treatments.
Our core-flood test equipment can be
operated in temperatures up to 392 F
(200 C). The test fluids are contacted
directly with a temper ature sensor, allow-
ing accurate temperature measurements.
The maximum confining pressure is
2,500 psi (172 bar) and the maximum
operating pressure is 1,000 psi (69 bar),
with normal levels being 2,000 and 250 psi
(138 and 17 bar), respectively. Standard
Hastelloy^ core holders are suitable for
1- and 1.5-in. (2.54- and 3.81-cm) diame-
ter core plugs with a
maximum length of
3 to 6 in. (7.62 to
15.24 cm). A maxi -
mum system flow
rate of 500 mL/hr
is obtainable. The
core-flood rig can
also operate in
reverse flow.
Injection water Formation water
Water bath at
test temperature
Water bath at
test temperature
Stage 2
Brine
mixing
Stage 3
incubation at test
temperature
Stage 1
Inhibitor
closing
Objective: Compare soluble cations (Ba, Sr, Ca)
before and after incubation.
Dispenser
Scale inhibitor
solution
Prewarmed
glass bottles
nominal 100 mL
After
incubation
filtration and
stabilization
by EDTA
solution
Solution A
Seawater
Solution B
Formation water
Scale inhibitor
solution
Pumps
Pressure
Time
Effluent
Narrow 1 mm
capillary coil
Water bath
or incubator
Concentration inhibitor ppm Inhibitor A and Inhibitor B
100,000
10,000
1,000
100
10
5 25 45 65 85 115 150
Inh A
Inh B
Pore Volumes Eluted
North Sea Field, Core Compatibility Trials
Our ongoing commitment
to scale prevention
The scientists at M-I SWACO are con-
tinually developing optimized scale
inhibitors for demanding applica-
tions. We are involved in joint R&D
and technical service projects with
customers and raw material suppliers
to help protect your production from
reservoir to surface.
Biopolymers for green
downhole scale inhibition
M-I SWACO remains at the forefront
of biopolymer development for down-
hole scale inhibition. Biopolymers are
considered the most environmentally
friendly chemistry used for topside/
subsea scale control. Biopolymer
chemistry meets the requirement
of no harmful discharge to the sea,
because the molecules are completely
mineralized after discharge.
While biopolymers have been used
for scale squeeze, they require opti-
mization for temperature stability
and adsorption/desorption proper-
ties in the reservoir. Technology
development has yielded several
molecules that are temperature-
stable above 248 F (120 C) and that
show outstanding efficiency for scale
inhibition: even better than tradi-
tional phosphonate chemistry. Our
researchers are also evaluating
the in-reservoir adsorption properties
of this promising technology.
Environmentally friendly
scale-squeeze inhibitors
Traditional phosphonates have
been used extensively for scale
squeeze, but their geometrically
locked backbone and sterically
hindered functional groups prevent
bacteria from breaking them down
inseawater. Phosphonates are pre-
ferred for scale-squeeze applica tions
because of lowMinimum Inhibitory
Concentration (MIC), long treatment
lifetime, and low-level detection
monitoring.
Ongoing research has identified
some phosphonates that show sig -
nificant biological degradation in
seawater. They are being evaluated
for efficiency, temperature stability,
adsorption/desorption properties,
detection in produced water, and
compatibility. These biopolymers
(polyaspartates) have been used
for topside scale control for six
years in the North Sea. In addi -
tion to being regarded as the
most environmentally acceptable scale
inhibitors on the market, biopolymer
capability now extends beyond 194 F
(90 C). Five different polyaspartate
molecules with temperature stability
up to 248 F (120 C) for at least 24 hrs
have been identified. As a result of
this work, new polyaspartates were
selected for subsea continuous
injection at client installations.
Halite inhibitors
Test results using field cores in North
Africa showed no formation damage
with applications of newly developed
halite inhibitors. Testing is also under
way for squeeze applications.
Need more information?
To learn more about how our
Scale-Management Technology
can help you get the most out of
your investment, contact your local
M-I SWACO repre sentative for case
histories as well as an assessment
of what we can do for you.
P.O. Box 42842
Houston, Texas 77242-2842
www.miswaco.com
E-mail: mipc@miswaco.com
Technology Centers:
HOUSTON, TEXAS
Tel: 2815611300 Fax: 2815611441
STAVANGER, NORWAY
Tel: 4751577300 Fax: 4751576503
Technical Service Centers:
NISKU, ALBERTA, CANADA
Tel: 7809553388 Fax: 7809552064
ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND
Tel: 441224285500 Fax: 441224890904
BERGEN, NORWAY
Tel: 4755173850 Fax: 4755173851
DUBAI, U.A.E.
Tel: 97148830644 Fax: 97148837197
PERTH, AUSTRALIA
Tel: 61894402900 Fax: 61893251897
2004 M-I L.L.C. All rights reserved. *Mark of M-I L.L.C.
^MultiScale is a mark of Petrotech.
PBR.1901.0812.R2 (E) 2.5MLitho in U.S.A.
This information is supplied solely for informational purposes and M-I SWACO makes no
guarantees or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy and use
of this data. All product warranties and guarantees shall be governed by the Standard Terms
of Sale. Nothing in this document is legal advice or is a substitute for competent legal advice.