Process for inhibiting scale formation in oil well brines
A method for introducing an inhibitor (e.g., an inhibitor against scale formation) into oil-well brines is described. This method comprises introducing into the porous reservoir structure (i.e., oil-bearing formation adjacent to the bore of an oil well) a relatively water- or brine-insoluble polyvalent metal salt of the inhibitor (e.g., polyacrylic acid and/or hydrolyzed polyacrylamide). The method comprises in situ formation of the relatively water or brine insoluble polyvalent metal salt of the inhibitor in the reservoir structure, by introducing a water-soluble salt of the inhibitor. In the in situ method, the strong acid in solution initially inhibits reaction of the salts, but is dissipated by the fluids in the oil-bearing formation and neutralized by the formation rock to allow reaction and formation of the desired water-insoluble metal salt of polyacrylic acid and/or hydrolyzed polyacrylamide in the formation. (23 claims)
- Assignee:
- Atlantic Richfield Co.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3704750
- OSTI ID:
- 5004859
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ACIDIZATION
ACRYLIC ACID
BRINES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CONTROL
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
INHIBITION
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
POLYMERS
PRECIPITATION
SCALE CONTROL
SCALING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUBILITY
WELLS