(123a) Scaling in Oil and Gas: Understanding Surface and Bulk Processes

Formation of inorganic scale is a particularly troublesome problem in oil and gas flow assurance.  Scale forms when the local environment is supersaturated and the kinetics are such that it is possible for crystals to form and grow.  To date much emphasis has been on the processes occuring in the bulk solution.  This paper discusses the competition between bulk and surface processes in the absence and presence of inhibitors and also discusses means of preventing scale deposition on engineering surfaces.