Our FlowSure product line offers controlled-release additives that slowly desorbs from the proppant pack to provide immediate and long-term protection against scale and paraffin dispositions. Learn more about what our flow assurance products below.
LONG-TERM SCALE DEPOSITION SOLUTION
For years, the industry has looked for a program where an inhibitor, placed in the formation, provides scale deposition protection for longer than one year. Fritz Industries manufacturers a scale inhibitor technology that places a robust scale inhibitor onto a solid matrix. This technology, FlowSure SI-503, is a controlled release scale inhibitor that has been applied in several fracture jobs in coalbed methane (CBM) wells in the Appalachian area. In some cases, the residual data shows that the scale inhibitor lasts up to five years.
CARBONATE SCALE DEPOSITION
Traditionally, there are three common approaches to carbonate
scale inhibition—continuous, batch, or squeeze applications. In virtually all cases, a liquid inhibitor is applied to the well, or to the near-wellbore in the case of a squeeze. The application concen- trations vary depending on the expected longevity. Continuous treatments require a dilution that readily mixes and diffuses into the produced or injected fluid. This provides a continuous dosage rate in the production, which requires a pump and chemical tank placed on location.
Batch treatment, practiced in some areas, is not recommend- ed when treating for scale. When used, it eliminates the need for equipment and inventory at each well that requires treatment. A treater truck makes regular and frequent stops at each well to apply and flush a concentrated inhibitor. Applications are typically spaced 7 to 14 days apart. In all of these cases, the level of scale inhibitor is measured by looking at the residual of inhibitor in the produced water.
APPLICATIONS:Fracturing fluid systems.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
• Robust inhibitor technology
• Replaces continuous, squeeze or batch treatments
• Ideal for remote locations with operational obstacles • Increases production
• Reduces downtime due to scale in the near-wellbore
• Cost-efficient
• Cost added to the authority for expenditure
• Reduced operational expense for scale inhibition
If scale inhibitor residual appears 2 to 3 ppm or greater, then the program is considered to be successful. FlowSure controlled release scale inhibi- tors are specifically formulated for compatibility with most frac- turing fluids. Fluid compatibili- ty is critical from an operational standpoint, ensuring that the es- sential nature of the scale inhibi- tor is not compromised by the ad- dition of the fracturing products.
Squeeze applications are calculated on the water production and the desired life of the squeeze. The product is applied and squeezed into the near-wellbore, typically calculated as 5 to 6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m) into the formation. The chemical then en- ters the production as the well produces water. Because the product is liquid, its concentration varies over time. Initially, there is a higher than required dose of inhibitor, but over time, the product is depleted and the well requires a resqueeze. A squeeze can last for 6 to 12 months.
FlowSure SOLID PARAFFIN INHIBITOR
The Fritz Industries FlowSure solid paraffin inhibitor is a con- trolled-release additive that slowly desorbs from the proppant pack to provide immediate and long-term protection against paraffin deposition. FlowSure PI-400 material is comprised of a dry, solid particle onto which a specialty chemical has been adsorbed. The product is nominally within the mesh size of 20/40 proppant. It is placed in the formation via a fracture, frac-pack, gravel-pack, or pre- packed screen system.
The amount of product added to the proppant is based on crush and conductivity tests done in preparation for the job and the expected life of the treatment. When the well begins to produce, the paraffin inhibitor slowly desorbs into the oil phase of production, inhibiting paraffin deposition in the near-wellbore area and tubing. Because the product is dry, it can be easily cleaned up and will not contribute to chemical runoff if spilled. This is environmentally preferable to con- ventional liquid additives or batch-injection and continuous-injection liquid chemical systems.
PI-400 is a Fritz Industries FlowSure product line and is compatible for use with most common stimulation fluids. FlowSure products are added to the stimulation fluid and placed deep into the formation, where they can prevent deposition and costly production problems.
APPLICATIONS
• Oil and gas wells that exhibit paraffin deposition characteristics
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
• Reduced Costs
-Reduces downtime caused by paraffin deposition in the near-wellbore
-Eliminates or reduces costly interventions
• Extended Flow Assurance
-Safely and efficiently inhibits down-hole paraffin deposi- tion with slow-release, long lasting chemicals
-Works on produced fluids before reaching the near-wellbore area
• Comprehensive Well Protection
-Contains broad-use paraffin inhibitors
• Simple Application
-Permits multiple applications including gravel packs, frac- packs, or fractures in new or existing wells
-Offers compatibility with most fracturing fluids
-Minimizes environmental impact without sacrificing performance
-Increases transparency of chemical composition to stakeholders
CASE HISTORY
An Appalachian-area operator produced gas from a CBM formation. The produced water had a positive scaling index and deposited carbonate scale on the perforations and on the pro- duction string. Continuous scale treatment was operationally out of the question.
A scale squeeze only offered protection for up to a year. The operator wanted multiyear pro- tection from a scale inhibitor that could be added in the fracturing process. Fritz Industries arrived at a solution by which a robust scale inhibitor was fixed onto an inert solid matrix. This solid product, FlowSure SI-503 Controlled Release Scale Inhibitor, was found to be compatible with a host of fracturing fluids. This inhibitor protects against general oilfield scales such as carbonates and sulfates. The product was applied and compared in the field with a traditional squeeze application. Whereas the scale inhibitor used in the squeeze was a liquid, SI- 503 inhibitor is a solid product. The results showed the difference in the applications.
The squeeze product produced a high residual rate before taper- ing off. The fracture-applied inhib- itor showed a low initial residual and held that residual over time. The treatments are now more than 5 years old. The extrapola- tion indicates that the solid scale inhibitor showed residuals long after the liquid product fell below the desired treating level.
The operator applied SI-503 in the fracture and eliminated the need for continuous or batch treatment. Furthermore, the residual trend indicates that the FlowSure SI-503 Controlled Release Scale Inhibitor has a life exceeding 5 years. Production has been optimized for this oper- ator because scale no longer de- posits downhole to restrict flow in the perforations. The operator has realized reduced downtime and cost due to workovers.