SPE 87469

Why Does Scale Form in ASP Flood? How to Prevent from It?--A Case Study of the
Technology and Application of Scaling Mechanism and Inhibition in ASP Flood Pilot
Area of N-1DX Block in Daqing
Yupu Wang, Junde Liu, Bing Liu, Yingping Liu, Hongxing, Wang and Gang Chen, Daqing Oilfield Co. Ltd.

Copyright 2004, Society of Petroleum Engineers Inc.

th
This paper was prepared for presentation at the 6 International Symposium on Olfield Scale
held in Aberdeen, UK, 26-27 May 2004.

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Abstract: ASP(alkali surfactant polymer) flood was initiated

on March 15, 1997 in N-1DX block in Daqing oilfield; its
main slug was completed on June 12, 1999. By September 23,
1998 pump malfunction occurred with a scale thickness of
1cm over in well bore. By the end of 1999, a serious scale was
found in surface gathering and delivery system, with a 0.3cm
of scale thickness found in single well pipes, gathering pipes
as well as in heating furnace, this unfavorably affected
current production.
In terms of this problem, we performed study of scale
removal and inhibition.
1, Analytical study over scale content, scale forming
mechanism and regularity.
2, Chemical agent study of scale inhibition.
3, Study of physical scale prevention method, and we
performed comparison test on different well respectively,
using coated nickel, three layered compound coated pipes and
ordinary pipes.
4, We used hydro-electrical scale preventing unit, magnetic
scale preventing unit in oil gathering pipes.
Through tests of the above methods in different wells, we
obtained a satisfactory effect, the chemical agent method
prolonged the pump check period from 30 days to 109 days;
the coated pipe scaled slightly or didnt scale, and the scale
was physically loosen. With these methods combined, scale
prevention performed a good effect in well bores, single well
pipes, oil gathering pipes and heaters. It ensured a
conventional production in tested area. This paper presents the
study of scale forming methods, the process of scale inhibition
and the ideal effect we obtained.
1, Brief introduction of ASP test in B-1DX Block
This block lies in the N-1DX Block of Daqing Oilfield, its
two central wells are B1-6P34 and B1-D6-GP127, 6 injectors

and 12 producers in 5-spot well pattern, with a spacing of 250

meters, the area is 0.75km2, its target layer is PI1-4 layers.
ASP flood was initiated on March 15th, 1997; the main slug
was finished on June 12th, 1999. The supplementary slug plan
was finished on September 11th, 2000. On June 1st, 2002, all
the chemical slugs were finished and succeeded with
subsequent water flood. The end of 2003 injected 0.187PV of
the pore volume in reservoir.
The ASP flood obtained remarkable incremental oil and
greatly decreased the water-cut. By the end of 2003, the whole
pilot area accumulated 299.5 thousands tons of oil production,
with an incremental oil of 167.438 thousands tons. The
accumulated oil production of the central wells reached 46.283
thousands tons, with an incremental oil of 27 thousands tons.
This obtained a 21.51 percentage of more oil recovery than
that of water flood.
2, Scale occurrence and its bad affection to
production in 1998
A, Serious scale in lifters unfavorably affected
production
After 0.243PV of pore volume was injected in September
1998, a serious scale was founded as the pilot entering its peak
period of response. Since the central well N1-6P-34 occurred a
malfunction of pump by scale on September 23, 1998, 12
pump checks or replaces were performed, the shutdown period
reached 114 days, with a 6081 tons of oil production was
affected. When restart the pump after a stop, the pump
malfunction often occurred; the scale on submersible electric
pump (on its separators and vanes) decreased the pump
efficiency. Side wells entered its peak period of response since
the end of 2001; a serious scale was founded in well bore too.
B, Serious scale in ground oil- collecting and
delivery system
In the end of 1999, after one year of scale had occurred in
well bore, we founded a serious scale in ground collecting and
delivery system as well, such as ground pipes, oil transferring
stations and multipurpose station. Subsequently, scale was
founded in collecting and delivery system, oil-water
separating system, and produced-water disposing system,
scale usually occurred on pipe-wall, in valves, pump head,
vane wheels and in flow-meters, the scale looked white and
difficult to remove. Scale made the flow channels in valve
assembly less and resulted in oil-collecting back-pressure
going up, and the valves could not be tightly closed, this also

resulted in malfunction of pumps and flow meters, and

brought an adverse influence to production.
(1) Scale in single well pipes
The pipe inspection showed that more or less scale formed
in the pipes that oil passing through. In water delivery pipes, a
serious scale could be seen from the Z-111 station to wells. In
August 2000 we got some scale sample from the well Z1-35, it
showed a white and tight scale whose thickness was 0.51.0cm. The diameter of the 2 inches pipe after scale forming
left less than 1 inch; in collecting and delivery pipes occurred
a less brown color scale. The scale obtained in collecting and
delivery pipes of Z1-35 reached about 0.3 inch. In April 2001,
the seriously scaled producing wells such as B1-6-P34 and
B1-7-P127 were detected over large pressure difference
between oil pressure and metering plant, this made even
thermal clean-out useless. In September 2001, we performed
acid-cleaning to ensure production.
(2) Scale in oil transferring station
In various valves and brakes of the collecting and delivery
system, more or less scale was founded, by measuring the
scale sample in water delivery valves and adjusting valves, its
thickness was about 0.2-0.5cm, its color varied from brown to
white. The various valves could not be closed tightly; there
occurred malfunction of production. This enhanced labor
strength of the workers, and it also increased production cost
because the measuring meters and gauges needed scale
removal or to be replaced. During the year of 1999 to 2001,
the output flow meters needed to be cleared for just half a
month in Z-111 station. Since the high temperature of the
produced fluid with a high salinity, after deposition, the scale
was easy to be separated out in the heater; this resulted in a
serious scale forming. In 2000, this serious scale deformed the
heater and kept a serious hidden danger. In 2001, the heater
was applied a general workover and reconstruction.
3, Scaling mechanism, scale content ,and scaling
regularity analysis
When we found overall scaled in the pilot test area, we
immediately studied scaling mechanism, scale content and
scaling regularity as well to solve the scaling problem.
A, Scaling mechanism study in lab
Through our extensive study we obtained that ASP flood is
a very complicated flooding system, it causes two kinds of
influences in reservoir. First of all, it affects fluid in reservoir,
decreases mobility ratio and causes emulsification, resulting in
an oil-wall with a high viscosity, this applies the ASP system a
powerful bringing capacity; additional, the high PH value of
the ASP system varies the water quality in reservoir, the
strong alkaline dissolve the clay mineral and damages the
surface electric charge and micro-structure, this finally results
in dispersion and migration of the clay minerals. Under the
alkaline condition, particle quartz, feldspar and silicone sand
are some bit soluble. This chemical reaction generates some
substances and being brought away by the high viscosity oil,
and results in plug in layer near wells as well as causes scale
formation in ground treatment equipment.
Once the ASP solution being injected into the reservoir, it
breaks the original ion balance in formation. The increase of
OH- ion makes the reservoir an alkaline environment, as well
as turning the HCO32- into CO32-, this reaction greatly
increases CO32- and sodium ion. This results in concentration

SPE 87469

increase of ion Ca2-, and forms carbonate and hydroxide, this

reaction can be described as follows:
Ca (HCO3)2 ====Ca CO3+CO2 +H2O
On the other hand, with the injection of sodium hydroxide,
PH value increase as well as the solubility, this forms sodium
silicate. Under the environment of reservoir, carbonate,
hydroxide and silicate generate some solubility, as the fluid
migrate near the well-bore, temperature and pressure change,
and break the balance of ion this causes precipitation.
The kill mud pollution caused in the process of workover
job cannot be ignored. We found out a large amount of kill
mud in the scale analysis of producers. It contained heavy spar
(45-50%), feldspar (20%), quartz (<=3%), calcite (<5%),
mica+montmorillonite (10%), chlorite (15%). Lab experiment
showed that in the solution, which contained ASP solution,
flocculation happened with a small amount injection of kill
mud. This flocculation and mineral particle in slurry plugged
the near well.
B, Scale content and scale forming regularity
In lab, we performed scale content and scale forming
regularity study of the key wells. We analyzed the above items
on a central well B1-6-P34, we found that in different
displacing period, the scale sample looked different, and its
content and forming regularity varied greatly, it can be divided
into three phases:
Period one: That is the original period of scaling (peak
period of response), after the injection of 0.243-0.285PV of
the pore volume (August, 1998-March, 1999). In this phase,
the scale showed a gray and brown color, and felt mellow, the
scale accumulated fast. 50-80% of the scale was mud. The
clastic rocks were irregular in shape. The scale content was as
follow: heavy spar 35-50%, quartz 30-35%, feldspar 30-35%,
white clay 5%. The scale mud contained SiO2 9.45%, CaO
13.71% and other oxide (Table 1).
Among them, some of the sample 1 neither soluted in acid
nor in alkaline, it was identified as BaSO4 by X-ray.
In this phase, the water sample analysis of producers shows
that the content of SiO2 was 0.6 mg/L, Ca2+ was 17.2 mg/L,
Mg2+ was 6.4 mg/L, and Ba2+was 3.6 mg/L.
This period was that of water content decreased in a big
margin, meanwhile, water-cut of the central well was just
50%. Since the emulsification viscosity was high as 104mPa.s
with a strong bringing capacity, this resulted in clay and
residual killing mud being brought out, and precipitated with
carbonate and silicate. The near well belt plugged seriously in
this period, and scale formed quickly in well bore, the fluid
production index decreased to as much as 85.3%.
Period 2: It was the period that after 0.345-0.426 PV was
injected (April, 1999- March, 2000)
In this period, the scale was fine with a high density, looked
white. It was observed containing calcite and other minority
minerals, among them there was 25.8% of CaO and 22.3% of
SiO2. The particle of the scale was bigger than that of last
phase, the minority minerals arranged in order, mud was
obviously less than that of last phase. Water-cut went up in
this phase, the viscosity of produced fluid decreased from
100mPa.s to about 20mPa.s, with a lower bringing capacity.
The accumulation of scale slightly decreased in speed, and the
fluid production index maintained about 2t/d. mPa.

SPE 87469

Period 3: This period was that after 0.465PV injected

(after April, 2000)
Silt appeared in pump with a gray color, SiO2 dominated the
silt content. There was still slice scale on the pipe-wall, it
contained 31.7% of calcite, 52.4% of SiO2, and SiO2 content
was more than that of last phase. The silicon concentration in
produced fluid increased from 289mg/L in March 2000 to
430mg/L in May. The following table is a comparison of scale
content of the silt and the scale after June 1999(Table 2).
The slice appraisal showed that the gray silt majority
content was silicate, with minority of other minerals, and
minimal amount of carbonate (Figure 1).
Through analysis, we can observe that scale in ASP
producing well varied with time, the scale content majority
varied from carbonate to silicate. In the process of scale
forming, in the later period, scale appeared in ground
equipments. Through our energy analysis, it showed that the
majority content of the scale was carbon, silicon, calcium with
a minority of aluminum and barium.
4, Application and effect of scale removal
and inhibition
On the basis of above analysis, we obtained the content of
the scale, scale causes and scale forming regularity. In later
process we applied chemical and physical method to prevent
scale forming, and obtained favorable effect, this effectively
prolonged pump check cycle. First of all, we applied chemical
method in producers.
A, Acid-cleaning: On November 7th, 1999, as the central
well B1-6P34 pump capacity decreased to 20%, we cleaning
the well with scale removal agent under the condition of pump
stop, and gained a success. The daily output increased from 38
tons to 150 tons, the water-cut maintained 66%, and pump
check cycle was prolonged from 30 days to 109 days. We
checked the submersible electric pump on January 19th 23rd,
2000, the submersible electric pump ran in vain to the date
February 25th, acid-cleaning gained a good effect.
During the later period of scale forming in May, since the
scale content varied, the silicate increased, and the difficult of
acid-cleaning also increased, the second acid-cleaning failed.
B, Titration chemical adding:
After titration chemical adding from Mar. of 2000 to Dec.
2000, when another central well in this block B1-D6-GP127
and a side well B1-D6-P126 scaled and we titrated FS-01
scale removal agent through tubing ring clearance, they
continued normal production for longer than a year.
C, Solid scale removal agent:
Compared with liquid removal, solid scale removal agent is
easy to delivery, easy to add on site with a low cost. It not
only suits screw pump wells, as well as suits submersible
electric pump wells and ordinary wells. Hence we performed
solid scale removal study.
Technical data of the solid scale removal agent:
1), Scale inhibiting rate: equal or more than 95%;
2), Removal effective cycle is 8-12 months;
3), Corrosion rate to down-hole equipment was less
than 0.10g/m2h.
After solid removal agent was titrated into B1-7-P127 on
February 2001, the continuous ion monitoring in produced
fluid and data showed:

After injection of solid scale removal agent, the calcium and

carbon ion in produced fluid increased in a big margin, scale
forming lessened. Scale removal agent adding was during the
peak scaling period. Before titration, the average pump check
period was only 30 days; it prolonged to 447 days after
adding, and the electrical current of electric pump was even.
On the other hand, we applied physical measures in serious
scale places; we used three layer metal-coated pipes, porcelain
coating method to prevent scale.
A, Coated pipe scale prevention technology:
We performed a comparison test in a central well on
January 20th, 2000, we applied nickel-phosphorus three layer
coated pipes and ordinary pipes on the top, middle and bottom
positions of the well respectively. After 101 days of operation,
we checked the pump and founded that on the top and middle
positions, the three-layer compound coated pipe did not scale
neither on the inner wall nor the surface. But the nickelphosphorus coated pipe and the ordinary pipe scaled for 3mm
of thickness, with a high density and difficult to remove. On
the bottom of the well, three layer compound coated pipes
scaled, the scale felt mellow with a thickness about 1mm, and
easy to remove by nail, but the nickel-phosphorus coated pipe
and the ordinary pipe scaled and difficult to remove.
Another well B1-7-P127 was operated on March 29th, 2000,
we found out scale on the rod, near the suction inlet, on the
surface of the piston and both the inner and outer wall of the
pipe. So we performed the same comparison test in the same
sequence with three layer compound coated pipes. From May
28th to June 2nd this well was performed operation, we found
out that the rod had scaled seriously, and neither the inner wall
nor the surface of the three layer coated pipes had scaled,
while little scale was found on the inner wall and the surface
of the comparison pipe.
B, Screw pump porcelain coating: Only one well was
tested with rotator porcelain coated screw pump, it was
installed pump in April, 2003, the pump model was GLB80014, we found out that compared with the ordinary screw
pumps in normal operation, the operating electrical current
decreased in a big margin; under the condition of daily
production and dynamic fluid level, the current was 36A for
ordinary screw pumps, while 24A for the rotator porcelain
coated screw pumps, the current difference was 12 A, with a
decrease rate of 33.3%. This well was operated in April 2003,
and no scale was found on the rotator.
The data of rotator porcelain coated screw pumps shows
that daily fluid produced 176m3, pump efficiency was 76.5%,
dynamic level was 350m, running time was 199
days(Figure2).
Compared with ordinary screw pumps the porcelain coated
rotator screw pumps have the following advantages:
(1)Starting torque was big, but working torque was small,
(2)High scale preventing ability
(3)Good wearable
Existing problems: Special material coating technology is
newly developed in recent years, especial for screw pump
rotator surface coating which improves its property. Now we
have neither theoretical study nor practical application
experiences for reference. We need further lab study and on
site experiments to improve our technology.

3 Physical scale removal and inhibition of surface

oil-gathering equipments
Physical scale removal methods also obtained good effect.
1, Coated pipe scale prevention comparison test:
In August 2001 we replaced surface pipelines of the well Z135. In October, we installed three layer fluorine coated pipes
at the inlet of water line and at the position of 100 metres to
the metering plant. Meanwhile, we installed three layer
fluorine coated gate valves on the water line of an oil
transferring station. In 2002 we found out that the coated
pipelines did not scale, while serious scale was found on the
ordinary pipelines, the scale thickness was 2.5-3mm, that is to
say scale formed for 2.5-3mm in a year(Figure 3).
2, Electric and magnetic scale prevention test:
In October 2001, we installed SL-2000 electrostatic water
scale controller on the water line inlets of the wells B1-5-P37
and B1-7-P127. After six months we did not find an
ideal effect.
In 2002, we installed magnetic scale controllers on a water
line inlet and at the position 20 metres to metering plant of the
well B1-D6-P128.In September 2003, we found scale of 2 mm
thickness around the controller, and this showed scale was not
effectively prevented.
At the oil transferring station of ASP flood, with the
increase of chemical and ion accumulation, scale increased,
this resulted in malfunction of the flow-meters, so we had to
perform acid-cleaning in half a month. In order to ensure a
smooth production, we installed SL-2000 electrostatic water
scale controllers, this relieved the scale problem. Additional,
we replaced LL-150 flow-meters with BLJ metal scraper blade
flow-meters, this prolonged the service.
Working principles of SL-2000 electrostatic water
scale controller:
A, The polarity in water molecule of the produce fluid is
commonly called dipole, as the dipole passing through the
electrostatic field of the controller, every dipole will arrange
themselves in the order of positive-negative, and the dipole
moment of water molecule increases. If there in soluble brine,
water dipoles will enclose the positive and negative ion of
brine, they will arrange themselves in the same order as water
molecules and dipoles running in disorder, so they will not
approach instrument surface, this prevent scale from forming.
B, with the dipole moment increase of water molecule, this
makes a greater hydration with water ions. Water polarity
makes the water molecules approach to instrument surface,
and results in scale mellow, solute and remove from it.
This principle effectively prevents scale from forming, and
protects flow meters.
Through our efforts of scale prevention, we ensured the
normal operation of lifting and ground apparatus. Pump check

SPE 87469

cycle was prolonged from 30 days to 109 days; it was further

prolonged to 304 days later. By the end of 2003, we
accumulated 299.5 thousands of oil, with an incremental oil of
167.438 thousands tons of oil. The central well obtained a
46.283 thousands tons of accumulated oil, with a 27.037
thousands tons of incremental oil, this improved a 21.51
percentage of recovery.
5, Acknowledges and conclusions
A, Alkaline is the dominating cause of scale in ASP flood;
B, Chemical scale removal methods applied in producing
wells can prolong the pump inspection cycle effectively in a
certain period, titration chemical adding method showed a
good effect to prevent scale from forming, but the long
operating period and the big amount of chemical adding made
a high cost; the down-hole solid scale removal method
obtained an obvious effect, and it needs further effort
to improve.
C, Physical scale prevention method showed a good effect,
it could prevent 90% of the scale from forming.
D, Fluorine coating pipeline methods applied in surface
collecting and delivery system showed a obvious effect; SL2000 electrostatic scale controllers can partly solve the
problem of flow-meters, magnetic scale controllers did not
show an ideal effect.
Biographies
Mr. Yupu Wang , professor, is the Board Chairman and the
General Manager of the Daqing Oilfield Company Ltd, who
was born on Oct. 6th, 1956. He majored in Oil Production
Machine and graduated from the Daqing Petroleum Institute in
1981, postgraduate degree of Reservoir Development. He has
ever engaged in oil production technique, general engineer,
vice general manager. He has for many times published his
professional papers on domestic journals. In 2002, he
published a SPE paper about completion method.
References:
1.Graham, G.M. Development and Application of Accurate Detection and
Assay Techniques for Oilfield Scale Inhibitors in Produced Water Samples.
SPE Paper 28997
2.Graham, G.M. The Influence of Formation Calcium on the Effectiveness of
Generically Different Barium Sulphate Oilfield Scale Inhibitors.
SPE Paper 37273
3.Wang xianjiun, Technology Study of Scale Removal and Inhibition in
Peripheral Oilfield of Daqing a paper presented on 2002 Daqing
Petroleum Conference

SPE 87469

Table 1

Scale Content Analysis

Number

sample 1

sample 2

Date of sampling

Aug. 1998

Jun. 1999

Scale appearance

gray slice

dark brown slice

Scale thickness

2-3mm

1-2mm

Operation item

Inorganic matter
content%

kick killng

Not kick killng

SiO2

37.7

44.3

Fe2O3

3.5

1.8

Al2O3

1.8

1.9

CaO

14.5

26.2

BaO

12.6

4.1

MgO

0.3

0.4

BaSO4

19.7

Organic matter content %

Table 2

9.9

Scale Sample Content Analysis

Experiment method

Experiment Content

Observe by eyes
sample burning test in lab

Solution test in acid in lab

Produced fluid

22.3

Sampling date
June in 1999

May in 2000

scale appearance

Dark brown in slice

black and gray,

sticky

weightlessness after burning (

%)

39.2

15.7

CaO content (%)

26.2

1.8

Fe2O3 content (%)

1.8

1.47

mineral non-solute in acid

majority silicon
dioxide

Majority carbonate

SiO2 content (g/L)

0.6

1.58

Figure 1 Scale analysis of the central well

SPE 87469

Figure 2

Scale photo for porcelain coated rotator

100cm

190cm

Coated
pipeline
Coated
valve

95cm
Coated
pipeline

Ordinary
pipeline
Ordinary
valve

Coated
valve

Coated
valve

Figure 3 Description of three layer coated gate valves and pipelines