Real-Time Organic/Inorganic Scale Build-Up and Damage Identification for Sustained Production

Abstract This work introduces a real-time data-driven performance analysis technique designed to identify the presence of organic and inorganic scale build-up within wellbores and flow lines. Additionally, it enables the detection of ongoing formation damage. Furthermore, the approach offers valuable insights into the anticipated damage mechanisms responsible for productivity decline, thereby facilitating the design and implementation of efficient stimulation treatments to sustain and optimize production. The data-driven technique promptly identifies formation damage and scale buildup patterns within tubing and/or flow lines from the outset. The resulting diagnostic information is presented in the form of straightforward cartesian plots, ensuring accessibility for users of all experience levels. During the initial well ramp-up phase, these diagnostic plots can be automated using high-frequency data. After reaching the target drawdown levels, transitioning to low-frequency data offers optimal surveillance. Case studies from several deep-water wells demonstrate the successful implementation of the technique. These studies reveal methods capacity to provide early insights into damage mechanisms and to pinpoint organic and inorganic scale buildup issues within tubing and flow lines. As a result, it facilitates the management of chemical injections and the planning of efficient workovers and interventions. Comparisons with various productivity decline detection methods, including pressure and rate transient analysis, near wellbore numerical simulations, chemical modeling, and data collected during workovers, substantiate the method’s robustness and reliability. In many cases, detecting the presence of wax, asphaltene, and scale during their early stages poses a significant challenge. By the time these deposits begin to cause additional pressure drops within the tubing and flow lines, the blockage is already well-established. The method outlined in this work is designed to identify organic and inorganic scale build-up right from the initial stages, long before it evolves into a full blockage. This early detection capability serves as a crucial cost-saving measure by preventing the need for expensive workovers. One significant advantage of this approach is that it eliminates the need to shut-in the wells for analysis. Consequently, this minimizes lost production and reduces additional stress cycles on completion. Furthermore, the analysis determines the maximum drawdown and pressure drop limits along the wellbore and flow lines, enabling operators to optimize well performance in real-time.