Fluid monitoring of calcite scaling in cyclic steam wells producing from a tar sands Clearwater reservoir, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
Conference
·
OSTI ID:229586
- Alberta Research Council, Edmonton (Canada); and others
In steam-based oil recovery from the tar sands reservoirs in Alberta, calcite scale formation is a widespread problem interfering with production. In 1988-1989, the chemistry of the produced water and gas produced from a Clearwater reservoir were monitored from 11 cyclic steam wells for a one-year period at the jointly owned (BP Canada and Petro-Canada) Wolf Lake Cyclic Steam Project at Cold Lake. Saturation indices (SI) for calcite calculated at the wellhead and sandface (using the computer code SOLMINEQ.88) were used to predict calcite scaling potential. Silica geothermometers were used to estimate sandface temperatures. Chloride ion was used as an in situ tracer. Simpler indicators of scaling potential were sought. Of TIC, alkalinity, pH, calcium concentration, and temperature, only pH was found to be useful. Produced fluids having pHs greater than 8 have a high calcite scaling potential. The most important mechanism found by which calcite can become supersaturated in the well and form scale is by loss of CO{sub 2} from the aqueous phase. Two extreme SI patterns were found over single cycles. For scaling wells, both wellhead and sandface SIs are positive; for nonscaling wells, the wellhead SIs are negative indicating under saturation with calcite and the sandface SIs are positive or negative. These patterns were correlated with time of failure of downhole pumps due to scaling. Targeting of wells for remedial treatments may be based on use of these tools. If boiling of CO{sub 2} can be reduced by process alteration, calcite scaling will be reduced and application of inhibitor may not be required.
- OSTI ID:
- 229586
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9502114--Vol.2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Cold flow production of crude bitumen at the Burnt Lake Project, northeastern Alberta
In-situ development at Marguerite Lake
3-D geologic modeling and its applications for the Clearwater formation Reservoir, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
Conference
·
Sat Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1995
·
OSTI ID:269562
In-situ development at Marguerite Lake
Conference
·
Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1982
· Annu. Alberta Oil Sands Technol. and Res. Authority Adv. in Petrol. Recovery Technol. Conf.; ()
·
OSTI ID:6045178
3-D geologic modeling and its applications for the Clearwater formation Reservoir, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
Conference
·
Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990
· AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)
·
OSTI ID:6667412