SPE Journal
Volume 14, Number 4, December 2009, pp. 617-626

SPE-114060-PA

Enhanced Scale-Inhibitor Treatments With the Addition of Zinc

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DOI  More information 10.2118/114060-PA http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/114060-PA

Citation

  • Kan, A.T., Fu, G., Al-Saiari, H., Tomson, M.B., and Shen, D. 2009. Enhanced Scale-Inhibitor Treatments With the Addition of Zinc. SPE J.  14 (4): 617-626. SPE-114060-PA. doi: 10.2118/114060-PA.

Discipline Categories

  • 5.5.1 Asphaltenes, Hydrates, Precipitates, Scale, Waxes (Inhibition and Remediation)

Keywords

  • squeeze treatment, squeeze life; zinc, scale control, scale inhibitor

Summary

This paper discusses research on scale inhibition and squeeze performance in the presence of Zn2+. Some scale inhibitors, such as bis-hexamethylenetriamine penta(phosphonic acid), BHPMP, and polymeric inhibitors, such as phosphinopolycarboxylate (PPCA), have poor retention characteristics in conventional squeeze treatment, where less than 50% of the inhibitor is retained in the formation. In this study, it was demonstrated that more than 90% of the same scale inhibitor was retained when Zn2+ was included in the squeeze formulation. Furthermore, Zn2+ showed significant synergistic effect on barite scale inhibition with certain aminopentaphosphonate scale inhibitors [BHPMP and diethylenetrimine pentaphophonic acid (DTPMP)]. Stronger solution complexes are observed for aminophosphonates type scale inhibitors with Zn2+ than that with alkaline earth metal ions, such as Ca2+, Mg2+, and Ba2+. This stronger solution complex formation with Zn2+ may be attributed to the observed enhanced inhibition efficiency. Because of the lower solubility of Zn2+-scale inhibitor salts, Zn2+ added to the inhibitor pill significantly improves the retention of some scale inhibitors during squeeze treatment. In this paper, the projected squeeze life (PSL) is defined. When Zn2+ is used in the inhibitor pill, the PSL for BHPMP is increased by a factor of 60 without significantly affecting the cost. Simulation indicates that the squeeze life may be improved significantly at the Guerra well if this new squeeze procedure is used.

© 2009. Society of Petroleum Engineers

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History

  • Original manuscript received: 10 March 2008
  • Meeting paper published: 28 May 2008
  • Revised manuscript received: 30 September 2008
  • Manuscript approved: 9 October 2008
  • Published online: 27 July 2009
  • Version of record: 22 December 2009