Methods and systems for wellbore remediation
Removing inorganic scale and other acid-soluble materials in the presence of a particulate pack can sometimes result in unwanted alterations to the particulate pack. Methods for removing inorganic scale can comprise: introducing a descaling agent comprising an N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof into a wellbore in fluid communication with a particulate pack, an inorganic scale being present in the wellbore or in the particulate pack; contacting the descaling agent with the particulate pack and the inorganic scale; and removing at least a portion of the inorganic scale using the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof without substantially affecting the particulate pack.
1. A method comprising:
introducing a treatment fluid comprising a descaling agent and a carrier fluid into a wellbore in fluid communication with a particulate pack, an inorganic scale being present in the wellbore or in the particulate pack, the descaling agent comprising an N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid with the following structure:
or any salt thereof, wherein n is an integer ranging between 1 to 5, and wherein the treatment fluid has a pH in a range of 0.5 to 1.8;
wherein no other organic or mineral acids are present in the treatment fluid in combination with the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof;
contacting the descaling agent with the particulate pack and the inorganic scale; and
removing at least a portion of the inorganic scale using the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof without deconsolidating the particulate pack.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic scale is present in the particulate pack.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of removing at least a portion of the inorganic scale using the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof comprises complexing a metal ion from a metal salt comprising the inorganic scale.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inorganic scale comprises a calcium-containing scale, a magnesium-containing scale, an iron-containing scale, a barium-containing scale, a strontium-containing scale or any combination thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particulate pack comprises a consolidated particulate pack.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the consolidated particulate pack comprises an acid-unstable resin, the acid-unstable resin being unreacted with the N-(phosphonalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof after the step of contacting.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid comprises N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particulate pack comprises a proppant pack or a gravel pack.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof in the treatment fluid ranges between about 1.5 wt. % and about 45 wt. %.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein no other chelating agents are present in the treatment fluid in combination with the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof.
11. A method comprising:
contacting a resin-consolidated particulate pack in a wellbore with a treatment fluid comprising a descaling agent and a carrier fluid, the descaling agent comprising an N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid with the following structure:
or any salt thereof, wherein n is an integer ranging between 1 to 5, and wherein the treatment fluid has a pH in a range of 0.5 to 1.8; wherein no other organic or mineral acids are present in the treatment fluid in combination with the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof; and
removing at least a portion of an acid-soluble material from the particulate pack using the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof without deconsolidating the particulate pack.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the acid-soluble material comprises an inorganic scale present in the particulate pack.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the inorganic scale comprises a calcium-containing scale, a magnesium-containing scale, an iron-containing scale, a barium-containing scale, a strontium-containing scale or any combination thereof.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of removing the acid-soluble material from the particulate pack using the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof comprises complexing a metal ion from a metal salt comprising the inorganic scale.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the particulate pack comprises an acid-unstable resin, the acid-unstable resin being unreacted with the N-(phosphonalkyl)iminodiacetic acid or any salt thereof after the step of contacting.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the N-(phosphonoalkyl)iminodiacetic acid comprises N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the particulate pack comprises a proppant pack or a gravel pack.