INVESTIGATION ON PERFORMANCE OF CATIONIC-ANIONIC SCALE INHIBITORS ON FORMATION OF SILICATE SCALE

The use of highly alkaline formation water has disintegrated the quartz silica in sandstone reservoirs, and these dissolved silicas are stable at high pH. However, as the alkaline formation water flows into the production well, it encounters neutral pH water. This results in a substantial reduction in the pH of the alkaline formation water and precipitation of the dissolved silica. Other parameters such as pH, temperature, and the presence of divalent cations in water also contribute to silica scale formation. Silica scale is a severe problem in the oil and gas industry, which forms in perforation holes, casing surface, tubing, and surface facilities. Recently, the use of poly(aminoamide) dendrimers as silica polymerisation inhibitors has been the subject of numerous researches. Unfortunately, these cationic poly(aminoamide) dendrimers are widely used in wastewater treatment for mitigating silicate scale and are yet to be applied in the oilfields.