Nearly 100 wells were squeezed with scale inhibitor using various combinations of preflush, scale inhibitor pH, amount of scale inhibitor, and amount of ovcrflush. The combinations to bc used were determined using a statistical design program, The low (<1 ) pH scale inhibitor gave the longest squeeze life in this field, A Xylene/mutual solvent preflush increased squeeze lifetime with the low pH inhibitor, The preflush also had a beneficial effect on oil recovery time. These effects were significant at the 95% confidence level.The amounts of scale inhibitor and overflush had no verifiable effects in the ranges studied, The effects of two uncontrolled variables were also studied. The total dissolved solids (TDS) of the produced brine had near zero effect on squeeze lifetime. The daily water production of the well had a significant effect. Higher water producers had shorter squeeze lifetime. The economics of scale squeeze inhibition was investigated, The most cost-effective strategy in this field appears to bc inhibiting only problem wells, However, other factors that could not be quantified in this study could favor field-wide inhibition.
Keywords: scale, inhibition, squeeze, preflush, overflush. phosphonatc, mutual solvent, surfactant, economics, statistics, dolomite, gypsum.