
科学技术与工程

中国技术经济学会
Effectiveness and Mechanism of Microemulsion Unblocking Agents for Organic and Inorganic Composite Scales
Shi-lin LIU , Tai-liang ZHANG , Cun-chuan ZHENG , Hao-nan XU , Zi-yi PANG
Science Technology and Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (19) : 8041 -8048.
To address the issue of composite scale in dense sandstone formations, an oil-in-acid microemulsion unblocking agent comprising acid, white oil, composite emulsifiers, and additives was developed. The internal structure and morphology of the microemulsion unblocking agent were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Its performance was assessed in terms of thermal stability, dissolution efficiency for inorganic and organic scale plugs, and impact on reservoir permeability. The mechanism of unblocking was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The microemulsion unblocking agent exhibited a spherical dispersion in solution with an average particle size of 6 nm, and maintained stability at 90 ℃ for over 48 h. The dissolution rates for scale formed at different locations were 87.61% and 77.41%. The microemulsion unblocking agent the ability to transition from oil wettingto water wetting, and proved more efficient and faster in resolving complex scale plugging compared to traditional acid solvents. The microemulsion unblocking agent enhanced core permeability recovery rates to over 80%. Results highlight the advantages of the microemulsion unblocking agent, including excellent thermal stability, high scale dissolution capacity, and effective removal of both organic and inorganic composite scales, They can efficiently eliminate obstructions in the wellbore and near-wellbore regions, thereby clearing the wellbore and enhancing the flow paths in the formation and increasing oil and gas production capacity.
composite scale / microemulsion unblocking agent / microemulsion unblocking mechanism / performance evaluation
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