(2023049) Delaware Basin Formational Solid Deposit Trends, A Data Driven Look At Developing Proactive Chemical Treatment Strategies

The Permian Basin is well known for multiple remunerative producing zones. Recent development from the Delaware Basin has presented a need for economical chemical selections. Chemical treatment strategies applied in contemporaneous formations in the Midland Basin may not result in an optimized solids risk mitigation approach for the New Mexico Delaware Basin. Having the right treatment strategy in place is essential in preventing failures and downtime due to under deposit corrosion, microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), plugging and emulsion issues. Most operators have a firm understanding of localized problem facilities and well sets but have a less defined macroscopic perspective needed to minimize risk in terms of geography, geology and water chemistry.

This paper highlights a tailored chemical treatment strategy developed for solid mitigation for a Delaware Basin operator. Over 200 New Mexico and Texas State line Delaware Basin solid samples were collected over a two-year period, spanning 7 distinct producing intervals. Focus was placed on the most common producing zones such as the Wolfcamp, Bone Springs and Avalon formations. A statistical approach was taken to break down which formations have the greatest potential for paraffin, carbonate, acid soluble iron compounds and sulfate scales. 

Trends in the data suggested certain formations are more prone to certain types of solid precipitation. The data is in line with field observations across the Northern half of the Delaware Basin. Tying solid deposition history on a formational level helped the customer understand where treatment was no longer needed, where it was still required and where it may be needed in the future. 

The trends provide a proactive road map for risk mitigation and treatment optimization before a solid deposition event has occurred. An understanding of these trends have potential to save operators downtime and additional financial burdens associated with work over costs and deferred production in the Northern half of the Delaware Basin. A similar macroscopic approach in other basins may be applied to identify what proactive treatment strategies could be developed based upon the unique challenges of those regions and similarly improve field performance.