Introduction

Oilfield scale is commonly known as the solid deposits due to the precipitation of inorganic mineral scale in producing wells, which is one of the biggest production challenges of the oil and gas industry, (Vazquez et al. 2012). Possibly next to corrosion and gas hydrates, scale is probably the one of the most important water-related flow assurance problems. Oilfield scale is defined as a hard crystalline deposit resulting from the precipitation of mineral compounds present in the aqueous phase, which typically consist of one of more inorganic deposit along with other debris, such as organic precipitates (naphthenate, aslphaltene, wax), sand, corrosion products, etc. The crystalline deposits are formed due to the minerals adhering to solid surfaces, which may be in the reservoir, the production tubing, or the surface facilities. The problems caused by scale deposits are many, such as reservoir formation damage, blockage in perforations and/or gravel packs, safety valves and choke failure, pump wear, and corrosion underneath deposits.