Characterizing the Effect of Scale Inhibitors on Surfaces

Abstract

Abstract Inorganic scaling imposes a significant economic burden on the oil industry. Scale management protocols typically involve the use of chemical inhibitors. Most traditional methods of investigating scale formation and inhibitor performance do not provide insights into the exact mechanisms at play. However, understanding these mechanisms is critical to designing optimal mitigation interventions. We investigate BaSO4 scale formation in flow and batch experiments in the presence of a commercial inhibitor. For the first time, we apply sensitive texture parameters to characterize scale formation in the presence of chemical inhibitors. We analyzed effluent concentrations in the bulk phase using an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) technique, performed high-resolution X-ray CT scans of the surface deposits, and applied scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. We used advanced image analysis to characterize how chemical inhibitors affect the overall deposition rate. We show the impact of time and inhibitor concentrations on corrosion processes.