Optimization and Field Test of a Chelating Acid System for Scaled Gas Wells in the Hechuan Gas Field

Abstract

The Hechuan gas field is one of the tight gas reservoirs with the highest formation water salinity in China. The content of metal ions, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and barium, is as high as 20 g/L. Severe scales in near-wellbore reservoir blocks the gas and liquid flow paths, affecting the normal production of gas wells. The analysis of scale samples shows that the scale compositions in the Hechuan gas field are complex, which are composed of calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, iron salt, silicate, and other inorganic scales. To dissolve these scales, 14 kinds of laboratory self-made chelating acids named AST-01 to AST-14, sequentially, were evaluated by the descaling rate, in which the chelating acid AST-01 was selected with a dissolution rate of 77.7%. Meanwhile, the optimal concentration and reaction time of AST-01 were investigated, and the concentrations of the corrosion inhibitor, the iron ion stabilizer, and surfactants were also optimized. Then, a chelating acid descaling formula was obtained, which was 15~20% of AST-01 chelating acid + 1.5~2.0% of corrosion inhibitor + 2.5% of iron ion stabilizer + 0.3% of drainage aid. A pilot field trial of this descaling formula was applied in a Hechuan X1 well. A remarkable result was obtained in that the shut-in tubing pressure recovery rate was increased by 14 times, the gas production was increased by 10 times, and the gas well resumed to produce continuously again.