Paper: Downhole Corrosion Encountered In The CO2 Flood At The Sacroc Unit

In 1972 a carbon dioxide/water injection project began in the SACROC Unit, Kelly-Snyder Field in Scurry County, Texas. The injection of CO2 and the highly corrosive produced water has created some very unique problems with downhole equipment. New materials of construction, new design parameters, and new treatment methods have been developed to deal with these problems. The paper describes the corrosion problems encountered with submersible pumps, sucker-rod pumps, tubing, sucker-rods, and other downhole equipment, and it describes the solutions found for these problems. Chemical treatments, coatings, and monitoring programs are discussed. Finally,, the effect CO2 injection on downhole corrosion is evaluated.