Scale Cause in the Smorbukk Field

Two of 19 wells were lost to carbonate scale in a high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) gas/condensate field with commingled production. Tubing plugging by scale was identified as the problem. Plugging was caused by a 6 to 8°C increase in upper-zone water temperature when commingled with hydrocarbons from deeper formations.

View a Synopsis of SPE 94578

This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 94578, "Why Didn't All the Wells at Smorbukk Scale In?," by F. Vassenden, SPE, Statoil; O. Gustavsen, SINTEF Petroleum Research; and F.M. Nielsen, SPE, M. Rian, and A.J. Haldoupis, SPE, Statoil, prepared for the 2005 SPE International Symposium on Oilfield Scale, Aberdeen, 11-12 May. The paper has not been peer reviewed.