Thomas Price and Shawn Young, Henry Oil Company, Wiley Parker, Lawrence Rzeznik and Mario Ledesma, Weatherford International
Scale and paraffin problems cost the oil industry billions of dollars in prevention, maintenance and repair each year. A new and innovative approach to well management, using a physical fluid treatment device, will be presented showing how it reduces well interventions and, correspondingly, improves production efficiency. Over 45 wells in West Texas were treated for scale and paraffin using a unique physical fluid treatment device over a period of 24 months. Specific case histories will be highlighted identifying prior operating issues and comparing favorable use incorporating the physical fluid device. The device, operating at 120 khz, is conveniently attached at the surface of the well and causes the scale to nucleate in the produced fluid rather than on the walls of the well tubulars. Paraffin is attracted to the scale and other inorganics and also remains in the produced fluid. Paraffin and scale are carried away with the produced fluids.