IKATAN AHLI TEKNIK PERMINYAKAN INDONESIA

Ikatan Ahli Teknik Perminyakan Indonesia

Simposium Nasional IATMI 2009
Bandung, 2-5 Desember 2009
Makalah Profesional

IATMI 09 024
Case History:
Bekasap Area Scale Mitigation, the Way to Improve Well Reliability
By
Ali Masyhuri, Chevron Pacific Indonesia
Fouad Youssef, Chevron Pacific Indonesia

Abstract
SCALE has become a major problem at
the Bekasap area in CPI. This has resulted in
short run life of the electrical submersible pump
(ESP); causing high cost for reconditioning it
and high production loss. The production loss
was estimated to be in the range of 10 to 15
MBOPD.

The calcium carbonate scale (CaCO3)

is mostly dominating the problem. This scale is
mainly caused by a pressure drop at the well
bore, specifically in low permeability wells,
where the pressure drop is significant and the
presence of temperature difference between the
formation fluid and ESP equipment.

Most of the artificial lift equipment at

Bekasap area is Electrical Submersible pumps
(ESP). SCALE deposition has impacted
significantly the production by causing repetitive
well down and severe production loss. Fortyfour percent of the ESP failure dating before
2005, experienced SCALE deposition in various
lights to heavy intensities. This scale problem
also resulted in downhole pumps short run life of
about 135 days. This problem creates high
operation cost on ESP repair and well service
cost to put the wells back on production.

The purpose of this paper is to show

various solutions that currently applied to
mitigate the SCALE problem. There was
continues injection of SCALE inhibitor,
Downhole Squeeze Scale Treatment and
Encapsulated Scale Inhibitor.
In general these efforts significantly
improved the well reliability by increasing the
pump run life, reducing the production loss and
artificial lift equipment repair cost.
The involved team to mitigate the
problem in hand is currently focusing on

IATMI 09-024

continues scale inhibitor injection and downhole

scale inhibitor squeeze treatment as it is seen as
the most two efficient methods. As a result to
these efforts the average pump run life has
increased from 135 days to about 320 days. In
addition the scale findings in ESP pulling have
reduced from 44% to 17%.

system also creates more damage that

caused part of pump cannot be serviced and
should change with new ones.
Scale problem then make short run life of the
pump to only 135 days compare to 180 days as
expectation.

Factor Affecting Scale

Background
Bekasap area is one of Rokan block that
currently operated by CPI. It is located at
northern part of Riau province. Bekasap area
consists of 60 active fields. It is mostly
developed from 5 formations. 90% of field
production is using ESP as an artificial lift.
One of operational problem that
affecting most to production is Scale builds up.
Scale was contributing 36% to root cause of
ESP failures rate as shown figure 1.
Based on ESP pulling data, before 2005
a 44% ESP were scaly in various intensity from
light to heavy. ESP teardowns show that calcium
carbonate scale progressively accumulates on
the pump impellers until the pumps fail. Pumps
which begin to fail typically show fluctuations in
operating amperages. In some instances,
motors are still operational, but the pumps have
seized.
Figure 2 showing an example scale
deposition at pump system, more detail at
impeller and body of motor.
Scale problem then will significantly impact
to production performance and operational
budget such as:

Shorter run life of the pump

When scale build up at body of motor it will
block reservoir fluids on cooling on motor of
the pump. Then it will burn the motor.
Unusual production decline
Scale that builds up inside of impeller and
diffuser can reduce size or hole of the
impeller even closed it. Then it will block
fluids flow to the surface.
Increase in ESP repair and Well service cost
Shorter run life of the pump then expectation
will cost more on returning back well on
production. Deposition scale at pump

IATMI 09-024

Scale precipitate due some reasons; the

major contribution is coming from reservoir
water content. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) as
dominated scale at Bekasap area will precipitate
as result of reaction between ion Ca2+ and
HCO32- as shown below :
Ca

++

+ HCO3

2-

=> CaCO3(s) + CO2 + H2O

The other factors are severe pressure drop and

High temperature reservoir.

Scale Mitigation
It is emphasized that controlling
formation scale is especially advantageous, as
opposed to removing it once is has formed.
Minimizing formation damage of any type will
enhance overall productivity since damage-free
completions within a scale prone area will
reduce drawdown-related scaling.
Controlling calcium carbonate scaling in
Bekasap area, especially within the ESPs, has
involved several approaches. These techniques
are not unlike those attempted by others in
areas where calcium carbonate scaling is
experienced. Techniques include:
Continues Injection thru Capillary tubing
Down hole Squeeze Scale Treatment
(DSST)

Continues Captube Injection

This methodology is injecting some
amount of chemical Scale inhibitor thru capillary
tubing continuously. Figure 3 descript more
detail on this methodology.
Stainless capillary tube is run when ESP
system is installed. It is part of ESP cable
system, and then clamped on tubing. The point
of injection located at below of bottom motor. It
will avoid precipitation of scale before entering
pump system.

Chemical scale inhibitor is continuously

injected by using surface pump while ESP
running. Injection rate of scale inhibitor
determine based on daily water production from
the well.
Performance of the inhibitor monitored
thru PRC (Phosponate Residual Content) data.
Based on study result, it is recommended that
PRC should not less than 2 ppm. Increasing
injection rate is the way to keep PRC above 2
ppm.

Down hole Squeeze Scale Treatment

This methodology is a preventive action
of scale inhibition by injecting certain chemicals
which able to prevent mineral crystals from
accumulating and depositing in near-wellbore
formation, perforations, casing, tubing, valves,
pumps and downhole completion equipments.
The amount of injecting chemical calculated
based on ion concentration, daily water
production and expected inhibition time.
Injection of DSST can be applied thru 2
ways. Using RIG or without RIG. Injection using
RIG required if theres specific interval needed
to be treated. Those interval need to be isolated
using packers or squeeze job.
Figure 4 showing how DSST
methodology implemented without RIG. The
chemical pumped thru annulus of casing
tubing.

The threshold of PRC Measurement remains the

same, 2 ppm. If the PRC start falling down near
2 ppm, then thats the time to do reinjection of
Scale inhibitor.

Scale Inhibitor Implementation

Based on those problems, Bekasap
start implementing scale mitigation on 2005.
During 2005 2009 Bekasap Area already
implemented 130 Continues captube injection,
78 DSST jobs, and other methodology with less
portion.

Analysis and Results

Implementation of Scale mitigation at
Bekasap area has very good impact, not only on
reducing production loss but also reducing
operational budget. Focus results metrics was
on well reliability. One of the metrics is ESP
pump run life. By longer run life of the pump,
loss of production due to frequent well down
then reduced. The other evidence that showing
success of Scale mitigation efforts at Bekasap
area is decreasing scale finding from pulling
ESP from 44% before 2005 to 17% nowadays.
Figure 7 describe scale mitigation result
from continues injection methodology.
With help from SPC XL software, comparing run
life before and after scale mitigation using
continues injection show:

t Test Analysis (Mean)

DSST methodology then can inhibit not
only at well bore but also scale deposition inside
reservoir and also near well bore area.
DSST Technique required compatibility
analysis prior job implementation. Compatibility
analysis consist of core flood test that showing
whether this chemical will not reducing physical
properties of the reservoir such as permeability
or not, and also compatibility test between
reservoir fluids and chemical inhibitor to see is
there any emulsion development or solid
development by this injection.
DSST performance also monitored thru
PRC data as same as continues injection, the
differences is with DSST there will be declining
PRC measurement in line with reduction of the
amount of chemical inhibitor in the reservoir.
Below is one of example PRC data.

IATMI 09-024

BEFORE
AFTER
Mean
StDev
Count

BEFORE
1.0
Summary
135.6
100.1
16

AFTER
0.003759
1.0
310.6
199.1
16

It is showed that run life increase 129% from

135 days to 310 days average run life of ESP
pump.
Meanwhile DSST methodology gives
result as described on figure 8. Based on the
graph, DSST improve run life from 154 days to
323 days or equal to 109% increasing on run life
of the pump.
In addition as mention earlier that scale
mitigation can reduce scale findings from pulling

ESP from 44% to 17% as showed on figure

below:

Conclusions and Recommendation

1. Continues Scale injection and DSST are
successful way to reduce scale problem and
improve run life of ESP.
2. Continues Injection improve run life from
135 days to 310 days, increase 129%.
3. DSST methodology improves run life 109%
from 154 days to 323 days.
4. Scale findings from ESP pulling reduced
from 44% to 17%.
5. Continue with scale Mitigation thru DSST
and Continues Injection (Cap tube).

Reference
1. Ali Masyhuri, Fouad Youssef, Emilya
Siswati,: Scale Mitigation progress report,
Internal CPI Report, 2009.
2. Rudy Husdiyana, : Analisa Kerusakan
Pompa ESP di Daerah Operasi SLN :
Penanganan Masalah Scale, Thesis
Jurusan TM ITB, 2006.
3. Mathhew Zielinski,: Scale Control and
Remediation in Central Sumatera,
Technical Memorandum ETC Chevron,
2007.

IATMI 09-024

Fig. 1 Root cause ESP failures

Fig. 2 Scale deposition at pump system

Fig. 3 Capillary tubing injection methodology

Fig. 4 DSST Implementation

Fig. 5 PRC data of well # 27

IATMI 09-024

Fig. 6 Scale Inhibitors at Bekasap Area

Fig. 7 Run chart Continues Injection Method

Fig. 8 Run chart DSST Methodology

IATMI 09-024

Fig. 9 Scale Finding Before and After Scale

Mitigation