THE EFFECT OF SILICA DISSOLUTION ON PERMEABILITY IN WATER AND ALKALINE INJECTION

Silica scale formation is one of many scales that are encounter during oil production. It can deposit in the well tubing, causing equipment failure and also within the reservoir near the production well. This will reduce the overall effective permeability and ultimately effects the total production of the well. It usually found during injection operation such as water injection and alkaline injection. This formation of scale is due to the dissolution of silica mineral such as quartz when it reacts with injected fluid. Dissolution takes place when a catalyst is introduced to them that can weaken the oxygen bond and convert insoluble silica into soluble silica. It occurs highly due to the injection fluid that causing environment parameter surrounded the silica mineral to change, thus promoting dissolution process. This paper discuss on the effect of pH value and salinity of the fluid toward the dissolution rate. Two set of experiments will be conducted to verify the factors; static and dynamics tests. The concentration of soluble silica will be measured using spectrophotometric. The data obtained will be analysis and discussed to determine its significant factor on dissolution rate.