A barium sulfate scale or solid can be dissolved economically by flowing a stream of relatively dilute aqueous solution of aminopolyacetic acid salt chelating agent into contact with and along the surfaces of the scale while correlating the composition and flow rate of the solution so that each portion of solution contains an amount of chelant effective for dissolving barium sulfate and the upstream portions of the scale are contacted by portions of the solution which are unsaturated regarding the barium-chelant complex.
A method for removing scale-forming ions from oil and gas production equipment. An external aqueous phase of a liquid membrane system contacts said scale and solubilizes said scale-forming compounds. Scale forming ionic compounds are then transferred into an immiscible liquid hydrocarbonaceous membrane phase having a complexing agent for scale forming ions. Said hydrocarbonaceous membrane phase envelops droplets of an internal aqueous phase which has a stronger complexing agent for scale forming ions than is contained in said hydrocarbonaceous membrane phase. Scale forming ions are transferred from said hydrocarbonaceous membrane phase and are accumulated and concentrated in said internal aqueous phase. Films of scale are thus progressively removed from surfaces where they have deposited.
Barium sulfate scale is dissolved by contacting it with an aqueous solution of: a bicyclic macrocyclic polyether in which the intramolecular cavity or cript is preferentially receptive to the cations of alkaline earth metals, at least a catalytically effective proportion of an alkali metal salt of an organic acid, and enough dissolved alkaline inorganic alkali metal or ammonium compound to provide a solution pH of at least about 8.
Barium sulfate scale can be removed from remote locations such as those in or around the borehole of a well extending into a subterranean earth formation by contacting the scale with an aqueous solution consisting essentially of water,a monovalent cation salt of a monocyclic macrocyclic polyamine containing at least two nitrogen-linked carboxymethyl groups and enough monovalent basic compound to provide a solution pH of about 8.
Alkaline earth metal scales, especially barium sulfate scale deposits are removed from oilfield pipe and other tubular goods with a scale-removing composition comprising an aqueous alkaline solution having a pH of about 8 to about 14, a polyaminopolycarboxylic acid, preferably EDTA or DTPA and a catalyst or synergist comprising oxalate anion. When the scale-removing solution is contacted with a surface containing a scale deposit, substantially more scale is dissolved at a faster rate than previously possible.
A method to improve the efficiency of scale dissolution in a formation containing multiple productive intervals where variable density liquids are utilized. Initially, a liquid composition sufficient to solubilize an alkaline-earth metal sulfate scale deposit is directed into a wellbore thereby contacting scale in one productive interval of the formation. Thereafter, a second scale solubilizing liquid having a density of about 0.1 wt % less than the first liquid is directed into the wellbore thereby contacting additional perforations and a higher interval. These scale solubilizing liquids with varying densities are allowed to remain in contact with perforations and productive intervals communicating therewith for a time sufficient to solubilize the scale deposit thereby efficiently removing said scale deposit from perforations and productive intervals at two different levels.
