Treatment liquid for controlling sringe

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods and compositions for controlling scale formation in hydrocarbon recovery and / or geothermal applications. The anti-fouling composition for inhibiting scale formation in oilfield and / or geological engineering applications consists essentially of: a polymer that is the reaction product of (i) an acrylate monomer and (ii) 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and / or monomethylmaleate (MMM); and methylglycine N, N-diacetic acid and / or a salt thereof.

Description

Cross-reference to related applications

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 63 / 587,115, filed September 30, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This invention generally relates to controlling scale formation in water systems. More specifically, this invention relates to methods and compositions for inhibiting scale formation in systems using water-based fluids during drilling, heating, hydrocarbon extraction, or other downhole operations in underground formations. Background Technology

[0003] This section provides background information in connection with this disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art.

[0004] Formation water, or produced water, is water trapped in underground formations and brought to the surface during oil and gas exploration and extraction. In coalbed methane extraction, wells are drilled into the coal seam, and water is pumped to the surface to release the gas. This may include water from the reservoir, water injected into the formation, and any chemicals added during drilling, production, and processing. Because the water has come into contact with the hydrocarbon-bearing formation at elevated temperatures, it acquires some of the chemical properties of both the formation and the hydrocarbons themselves. The physical and chemical properties of produced water vary considerably depending on the geographical location of the oil field, the geological structure from which it originates, and the type of hydrocarbon products produced. The properties and volume of produced water can even change throughout the entire life of the reservoir.

[0005] In conventional oil and gas wells, this water, along with oil or gas, is brought to the surface at elevated temperatures. This mixture contains salts that, when cooled at the surface, form scale within the equipment, resulting in substantial costs due to maintenance and downtime. Therefore, there is a need in the art for anti-scaling compositions and methods of application that can be used in natural gas, oil, or geothermal production cycles to inhibit and preferably prevent scale formation during the extraction or use of groundwater, produced water, and / or geothermal fluids. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This section provides a general overview of this disclosure, rather than a full disclosure of its entire scope or all its features.

[0007] This invention generally relates to methods and compositions for controlling scale formation in hydrocarbon extraction and / or geothermal applications, industrial water treatment, or pulp and paper making. The invention also relates to an anti-scale composition for inhibiting scale formation in oilfield and / or geological engineering applications. The composition is essentially composed of a copolymer comprising at least one portion from monomer group A, at least one portion from monomer group B, and may comprise one or more monomers from group C. Group A contains olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomers, which may include, but are not limited to, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, 2-ethylacrylic acid, α-chloroacrylic acid, α-cyanoacrylic acid, β-methacrylic acid (crotonic acid), α-phenylacrylic acid, β-acryloyloxypropionic acid, sorbic acid, α-chlorosorbic acid, angelic acid, 2-carboxyethyl (meth)acrylate, cinnamic acid, p-chlorocinnamic acid, β-styrylacrylic acid (1-carboxy-4-phenylbutadiene-1,3), itaconic acid, maleic acid, citraconic acid, mesocarboxylic acid, pentenoic acid, aconitic acid, fumaric acid, tricarboxyethylene, mucoconic acid, and 2-acryloyloxypropionic acid. Group B includes, but is not limited to, at least one (i) sulfonated monomer, which may include, but is not limited to, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, sodium methyl allyl sulfonate, sulfonated styrene, and allyloxybenzene sulfonic acid; (ii) monoalkyl or dialkyl maleate esters and / or their salts; and (iii) phosphonate esters or phosphono-containing monomers or phosphorus-containing chain transfer agents, which may include, but are not limited to, vinylphosphonic acid and sodium hypophosphite. Group C may include, but is not limited to, copolymerizable monomers, including but not limited to hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate, alkyl (meth)acrylate, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, and styrene; and chelating agents selected from N,N-diacetic acid of glutamic acid or its salt (GLDA), N,N-diacetic acid of aspartic acid or its salt (ASDA), N,N-diacetic acid of methylglycine or its salt (MGDA), N,N',N'-triacetic acid of N-hydroxyethylethylenediamine or its salt (HEDTA), and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid or its salt (DTPA), and combinations thereof.

[0008] The present invention also relates to an anti-scaling composition for inhibiting scale formation in oil fields, industrial water systems, pulp and paper processing systems, and / or geological engineering applications. The anti-scaling composition as described above comprises more than about 0.5 parts by weight of an AMPS portion and / or an MMM portion per 100 parts by weight of polymer. When used, the anti-scaling composition is used at a concentration of one hundred to one million parts by weight of the polymer.

[0009] The present invention also relates to a method for reducing scaling in oilfield and / or thermal geological engineering applications, comprising the step of applying the above-described anti-scaling composition to the oilfield or thermal geological engineering application. Applying the anti-scaling composition may involve applying the anti-scaling composition into wells and / or pipelines.

[0010] The present invention also relates to the above-described method for reducing scaling in oil fields. The oil field and / or thermal geological engineering application generates a water flow, and the step of applying the anti-scaling composition includes applying the anti-scaling composition to the water flow at a temperature greater than 300°C, preferably from about 100°C to about 300°C. Furthermore, the water flow may include metals selected from Ba, Ag, Sr, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cd, Cr, Co, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Al, and combinations thereof.

[0011] The anti-scaling compositions described in the above compositions and methods inhibit the formation of calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, ferric carbonate, and / or ferric sulfide scale. Other applicable fields will become apparent from the description provided herein. The descriptions and specific examples in this overview are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and not for all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0013] Figure 1 The results of multiple dynamic pipe blockage tests conducted under the same experimental conditions are presented, reflecting the synergistic effect of scale inhibitors (SI) (and their functional parts / monomers) and chelating agents.

[0014] Figure 2a and 2b Static bottle tests conducted at room temperature and bottle tests conducted at 130°C are shown to evaluate the performance of the SI+ chelating agent combination solution.

[0015] Figure 3a and 3b The test results are presented to illustrate the scale inhibitor effect of determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of scale inhibitors SI-2(a) and SI-6(b) using a dynamic pipeline blockage device according to the teachings of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 4 The test results reflect the effectiveness of the scale inhibitor and the effect of temperature on the scale inhibitor's ability to suppress CaCO3.

[0017] Figure 5 Test results show the effectiveness of the scale inhibitor and the synergistic effect of the chelate on the scale inhibitor's ability to suppress CaCO3 scale at 130°C.

[0018] Figure 6 Test results show the effectiveness of the scale inhibitor and the synergistic effect of the chelate on the scale inhibitor's ability to suppress CaCO3 scale at 130°C and 170°C.

[0019] Figure 7Test results show the effectiveness of the scale inhibitor and the synergistic effect of the chelate on the scale inhibitor's ability to suppress CaSO4 scale at 130°C.

[0020] Figures 8A-8C show SEM images of the CaCO3 crystal morphology precipitated in a) blank test, b) with scale inhibitor added, and c) with the treatment solution of the present invention added.

[0021] Figure 9 The study demonstrated the ability of the concentrated treatment solution to remove and dissolve CaCO3 scale at different temperatures.

[0022] Figure 10 The components of the scale inhibitor solution according to the teachings of the present invention are shown.

[0023] Figure 11 Alternative components of the scale inhibitor solution according to the teachings of the present invention are shown.

[0024] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the dynamic tube blocking device used in this study. Detailed Implementation

[0025] According to the teachings of the present invention, an anti-scaling composition (SI) for inhibiting scale formation or removing scale from systems in oilfield and / or geological engineering applications is provided. The composition essentially comprises: a polymer, which is the reaction product of (A) an acrylate monomer and (B) 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and / or monomethyl maleate (MMM); and methylglycine N,N-diacetic acid and / or its salts. The polymer may contain greater than about 0.5 parts by weight of the ATBS portion and / or the MMM portion per million parts by weight of polymer. Furthermore, the polymer of the anti-scaling composition contains greater than about 5 parts by weight of the ATBS portion and / or the MMM portion per million parts by weight of polymer. The anti-scaling composition inhibits the formation of calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, ferric carbonate, and / or iron sulfide scale.

[0026] The copolymer has a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of about 1,000 to about 100,000 g / mol, or a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of about 2,000 to about 50,000 g / mol, or preferably a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of about 3,000 to about 25,000 g / mol. Optionally, the composition contains methylglycine N,N-diacetic acid (MGDA) and / or its salt in an amount greater than about 5 parts by weight per million parts by weight of the composition. The amount of MGDA present can be greater than about 60 parts by weight per million parts by weight of the composition.

[0027] In another teaching, an anti-scaling composition is proposed to inhibit the formation of scale (e.g., calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, ferric carbonate, ferric sulfide) in oilfield and / or geoengineering applications. The composition may consist of: i) a polymer, which is the reaction product of (A) an acrylate monomer and (B) acrylamide tert-butyl sulfonic acid (ATBS) and / or monomethyl maleate (MMM); ii) a chelating agent; and iii) water. The chelating agent is expected to be selected from monomers such as N,N-diacetic acid glutamate or a salt thereof (GLDA), N,N-diacetic acid aspartic acid or a salt thereof (ASDA), N,N-diacetic acid methyl methyl glycine or a salt thereof (MGDA), N,N',N'-triacetic acid N,N'-hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine or a salt thereof (HEDTA), and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid or a salt thereof (DTPA), and combinations thereof.

[0028] Optionally, the 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and / or monomethyl maleate (MMM) of the composition may be >7% by weight of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), or >10% by weight of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), or >20% by weight of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) or >10% by weight of monomethyl maleate (MMM). Furthermore, the polymer comprises more than about 0.5 parts by weight of AMPS and / or MMM per 100 parts by weight of polymer.

[0029] A method for reducing scaling in oilfield and / or thermal geological engineering applications is disclosed. The method includes applying the anti-scaling composition disclosed herein to the oilfield or thermal geological engineering application, i.e., applying the anti-scaling composition to wells and / or pipelines and / or formations. Typically, the oilfield and / or thermal geological engineering application generates a water flow. The anti-scaling composition can be added to the water flow, the temperature of which is about 100 to about 300°C. The water flow before treatment is expected to contain metals selected from Ba, Ag, Sr, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cd, Cr, Co, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Al, and combinations thereof. The anti-scaling composition applied by this method inhibits the formation of calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, ferric carbonate, and / or ferric sulfide scale.

[0030] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The scale inhibitors used in this study are polyanionic polymers or copolymers, which can be used alone or in combination. The chemical composition of the scale inhibitors is generally described in Table 1. Each dissolver is a thermally stable polyanionic chelate.

[0031] For the CaCO3 inhibition test, calcium chloride solution and sodium bicarbonate solution were mixed, with or without the addition of scale inhibitor / descaler formulations. The compositions of the anionic and cationic solutions are shown in Table 2. The cationic solution contains 1517 mg / kg Ca. 2+ The pH is 4.9. The anion exchange solution contains 1198 mg / kg HCO3. - The pH was 8.3. For the CaSO4 inhibition test, the cationic and anionic brine solutions were mixed with or not mixed with the scale inhibitor / chelate formulation. The compositions of the anionic and cationic solutions are shown in Table 3. The final ion concentrations of each solution are shown in Table 4.

[0032]

[0033] Table 2. Salt intake of anionic and cationic solutions used for CaCO3 scale inhibition testing.

[0034]

[0035] Table 3. Salt dosage of anionic and cationic solutions used for CaSO4 scale inhibition test.

[0036]

[0037] Table 4. Ion content of anionic and cationic solutions used for CaSO4 scale inhibition test.

[0038]

[0039] For the CaCO3 inhibition test, a calcium chloride solution is mixed with a sodium bicarbonate solution, with or without the addition of a scale inhibitor. Figure 1 Test results demonstrating the effectiveness of the scale inhibitor (and its functional parts / monomers) in producing this synergistic effect with MGDA are presented. Multiple dynamic pipe blockage tests were conducted under the same experimental conditions. (Use the following...) Figure 12 The test equipment and methods described herein were used to test these materials. The results of the Dynamic Tube Blockage Test (DTB) are shown, under conditions of 1500 ppm Ca, 1200 ppm HCO3, and a flow rate of 3 mL / min. Three sets of main test results are shown. The first set, marked "red," showed no significant inhibition of scale formation.

[0040] Figure 2a and 2bStatic bottle tests conducted at room temperature and bottle tests conducted at 130°C were demonstrated to evaluate the performance of the SI+ chelating agent combination solution. The performance of the scale inhibitor was first evaluated through bottle tests (wide-mouth bottle tests) at room temperature, 80°C, and 130°C. In these tests, the anionic and cationic solutions were mixed at a 1:1 volume / volume ratio (i.e., 50%:50%). For the higher temperature test (e.g., 80°C), the bottles were placed in an oven at the desired temperature after mixing at room temperature. For the 130°C test, pressure was maintained at high temperature using a Parr bomb device, and an empty glass vial was placed inside the Parr bomb device to observe any scale / precipitate formed during the test. Inhibitors were screened based on the precipitation observed visually after the test. The static bottle test was used as a preliminary simple screening.

[0041] Figure 3a and 3b The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the scale inhibitors and the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of SI-2(a) and SI-6(b) using a dynamic pipe clogging apparatus according to the teachings of the present invention. Following static testing, the dynamic behavior of the scale inhibitors was investigated using a dynamic pipe clogging apparatus. First, the MICs of SI-2 and SI-6 were determined at 80°C and 130°C. As shown in Figure 3, the MIC of SI-2 was 2.5 ppm, and the MIC of SI-6 was 10 ppm. Based on these results, both SI-2 and SI-6 can inhibit CaCO3 scaling at 80°C without the need for additional chelate enhancement. In this case, the preferred chelate is MGDA.

[0042] Figure 4 Test results reflecting the effectiveness of scale inhibitors and the effect of temperature on their CaCO3 inhibition performance are presented. The MIC value of the scale inhibitor is a function of temperature. To investigate the effect of temperature on the scale inhibitor performance, dynamic tests were repeated at two different temperatures, 80°C and 130°C, with the same inhibitor concentration. Figure 4 The performance of 5 ppm SI-2 and 10 ppm SI-6 was explained. As shown in the figure, neither inhibitor could inhibit the formation of CaCO3 scale when the temperature increased from 80°C to 130°C, therefore higher concentrations are required.

[0043] Figure 5 Test results reflecting the effectiveness of the scale inhibitor and the synergistic effect of the chelate on the scale inhibitor's ability to suppress CaCO3 scale at 130°C were presented. The synergistic effect of the chelate on the scale inhibitor's performance was also investigated by performing DTB tests on the scale inhibitor, chelate, and combined solution separately. Figure 5The results show the pipe blockage results for a blank test (without inhibitors or chelates), and for adding only 60 ppm of chelate, only 5 ppm of SI-2, and a combined solution. As shown in the figure, neither the individual doses of the scale inhibitor or chelate could prevent or delay the formation of CaCO3 scale, while the scale inhibitor / chelate combination delayed scale formation by at least 60 minutes under the test conditions.

[0044] Figure 6 Test results reflecting the effectiveness of the scale inhibitor and the synergistic effect of the chelate on the scale inhibitor's performance in suppressing CaCO3 scale at 130°C and 170°C were presented. Since the preferred intended use of this research is in high-temperature applications, the synergistic fluid dynamics were also tested at 170°C. Figure 6 The dynamic inhibition behavior of SI-6 at 170°C is shown. It can be seen that even a three-fold dose of SI-6 (i.e., 30 ppm) cannot control CaCO3 precipitation and pipe blockage. However, the synergistic fluid composed of the scale inhibitor and chelate successfully inhibits CaCO3 precipitation at 170°C. Table 6 shows the results obtained from the initial screening tests for CaSO4 inhibition at room temperature and 80°C. It can be seen that among the eight scale inhibitors, SI-2, SI-4, and SI-6 exhibit better performance in inhibiting CaSO4 scale at 80°C.

[0045] Table 6. Preliminary screening results at room temperature and 80°C

[0046] Screening based on visual inspection can be simplified to <10% scale inhibition rate 10%-25% scale inhibition rate 25-50% scale inhibition rate 50-75% scale inhibition rate >75% scale inhibition rate.

[0047] Figure 7 Test results show the effectiveness of the scale inhibitor and the synergistic effect of the chelate on the scale inhibitor's ability to suppress CaSO4 scale at 130°C. Figure 7 The results show the blank test (without inhibitor or chelate) and the DTB test results with only 120 ppm chelate, only 10 ppm SI-6, and the combined solution. As shown in the figure, neither the scale inhibitor nor the chelate alone could prevent or delay the formation of CaSO4 scale, while the scale inhibitor / chelate combination delayed scale deposition, demonstrating the positive effect of the chelate on inhibition performance.

[0048] Figures 8A-8C show SEM images of the CaCO3 crystal morphology precipitated in a) blank test, b) with scale inhibitor added, and c) with the treatment solution of the present invention. These images demonstrate scale precipitation at 130°C in the presence of the aforementioned compounds. A comparison was also made with the scale precipitated in the presence of only the scale inhibitor. Figure 8A shows SEM images of CaCO3 scale in a) blank test, b) with scale inhibitor added, and c) with both scale inhibitor and chelating agent added, according to the teachings of the present invention. The results observed in the crystal morphology support the dynamic pipe blockage data. As shown, by adding the scale inhibitor (Figure 8-b), the calcite crystal shape can be significantly altered from cubic (Figure 8-a) to a smaller round shape. Nevertheless, crystals may grow / accumulate due to unfilled attachment sites (manifested as rough and uneven surfaces). In the test using the new treatment solution, the calcite crystal shape was significantly more rounded (Figure 8-c), reducing the likelihood of crystal growth and scaling.

[0049] Figure 9 The descaling and dissolving capabilities of the concentrated treatment solution for CaCO3 scale at different temperatures were demonstrated. To assess the performance of the treatment solution as a high-temperature descaling agent, its dissolving capacity was measured. It is well known that stoichiometric solvents are required for descaling applications. Therefore, to accurately measure the dissolving capacity, these measurements were performed using the same treatment solution with a high chelate concentration (approximately 20% by weight). Figure 9 The maximum practical dissolution capacity of the concentrated treatment solution for CaCO3 descaling at different temperatures is shown. As shown in the figure, a dissolution capacity of >300 psi (equivalent to >36 g / L) was obtained at 200°C.

[0050] Obviously, the dissolving power is lower for treatment solutions with lower chelate concentrations. The amount of chelating agent can be adjusted according to the expected amount of scale that has settled.

[0051] Figure 10 The components of a scale inhibitor solution according to the teachings of the present invention are shown. Specifically, a combination of the chelate MGDA and a scale inhibitor component is shown.

[0052] Figure 11 The active components of the scale inhibitor solution according to the teachings of the present invention are shown.

[0053] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of a dynamic pipe blocking device used to evaluate materials is shown. Dynamic pipe blocking is used to evaluate the performance of qualified scale inhibitors by simulating field conditions such as pressure and temperature. The brine composition is synthesized in the same manner as for static testing, and consists of cationic and anionic solutions.

[0054] The dynamic tube blocking system consists of two pumps for injecting anion and cation solutions, such as... Figure 1As shown. Scale inhibitors / chelates were added to the anionic solution. For CaCO3 testing, the flow rate was set to 1.5 ml / min per pump, while for CaSO4, the injection rate was 0.75 ml / min (total 1.5 ml / min). Both solutions were first preheated to the required test temperature via a preheating coil and then mixed in the mixing chamber. In the mixing chamber, the solution was passed through a 1.5-meter-long capillary tube. In all DTB tests, the pressure was maintained at 20 bar using a back pressure regulator (BPR). The pressure drop (DP) across the capillary tube was continuously monitored during test runs. Any scale formation within the capillary tube would alter the pressure differential across the coil.

[0055] According to one embodiment, an anti-scaling composition for inhibiting scale formation is disclosed. The composition comprises a polymer, which is a reaction product of (A) at least one olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer and (B) a second reactant selected from sulfonated monomers, monoalkyl or dialkyl maleates, phosphonate monomers, phosphine-containing monomers, and combinations thereof, as well as a chelating agent and a corrosion inhibitor.

[0056] Typically, corrosion inhibitors are specifically selected to inhibit the corrosion of Cu and Fe in water treatment and / or oilfields. These may include corrosion inhibitors selected from azoles (benzotriazole, tolyltriazole), imidazolines, amines, and combinations thereof. Optionally, the scale inhibitor composition may further comprise a copolymerizable monomer. The polymer comprises more than about 0.5 parts by weight of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) moiety and / or monomethyl maleate (MMM) moiety per 100 parts by weight of polymer. Specifically, the polymer may comprise more than about 5 parts by weight of AMPS moiety and / or MMM moiety per 100 parts by weight of polymer. The weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of the polymer is from about 1,000 to about 100,000 g / mol.

[0057] The chelating agent may be selected from N,N-diacetic glutamate or its salt (GLDA), N,N-diacetic aspartic acid or its salt (ASDA), N,N-diacetic methylglycine or its salt (MGDA), N,N',N'-triacetic acid N,N',N'-hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine or its salt (HEDTA), and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid or its salt (DTPA), or combinations thereof. The amount of N,N-diacetic methylglycine and / or its salt is greater than about 1 part by weight per 100 parts by weight of the composition. Optionally, the amount of N,N-diacetic methylglycine and / or its salt is greater than about 2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the composition. The monomer A is selected from (meth)acrylic acid (AA), maleic acid (MA), itaconic acid, or combinations thereof. The disclosed anti-scaling composition can be used to reduce scaling in oil fields, thermal geological engineering applications, water treatment processes, or pulp and paper processes, or for descaling pipelines. Methods for controlling scale in oilfield and / or thermal geological engineering applications include the step of mixing the anti-scaling composition in the well at a temperature above 100°C. Specifically, the anti-scaling composition is mixed with a water stream at a temperature of about 100 to about 300°C. Typically, the water stream contains metals selected from Ba, Ag, Sr, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cd, Cr, Co, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Al, and combinations thereof. According to further teachings, the anti-scaling composition inhibits the formation of calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, ferric carbonate, and / or ferric sulfide scale.

[0058] An anti-scaling composition for inhibiting the formation of CaCO3 and CaSO4 in oilfield or geological engineering applications, the composition comprising: i) a monomer selected from olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomers; and ii) a second reactant selected from sulfonated monomers, monoalkyl or dialkyl maleates, phosphonate monomers, phosphonyl monomers and combinations thereof; and a corrosion inhibitor.

[0059] The antiscaling composition may further contain a chelating agent selected from monomers such as N,N-diacetic glutamate or its salt (GLDA), N,N-diacetic aspartic acid or its salt (ASDA), N,N-diacetic methylglycine or its salt (MGDA), N,N',N'-triacetic acid N,N'-hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine or its salt (HEDTA), and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid or its salt (DTPA), and combinations thereof. Optionally, the chelating agent is N,N-diacetic methylglycine or its salt. The monomer ii) in the polymer is 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) in an amount greater than 1% by weight. The composition may contain greater than 2% by weight of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS), greater than 5% by weight of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS), and / or greater than 1% by weight of monomethyl maleate (MMM). Optionally, the polymer may comprise more than about 0.5 parts by weight of AMPS portion and / or MMM portion per 100 parts by weight of polymer.

[0060] The descriptions of the embodiments provided above are for illustrative and descriptive purposes only. They are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of this disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that embodiment, but are interchangeable and may be used in selected embodiments where applicable, even if not specifically shown or described. Similarly, variations are possible. These variations should not be considered as departing from this disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A scale-inhibiting composition for inhibiting scale formation, the composition comprising: The polymer is a reaction product of (A) at least one olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer and (B) at least one second reactant selected from sulfonated monomers, monoalkyl or dialkyl maleates, phosphonates or phosphonyl monomers, as well as a chelating agent and a corrosion inhibitor.

2. The anti-scaling composition according to claim 1, wherein the corrosion inhibitor comprises a corrosion inhibitor selected from azoles (benzotriazole, toluenetriazole), imidazoline, amines, and combinations thereof.

3. The anti-scaling composition according to claim 1, further comprising a copolymerizable monomer.

4. The anti-scaling composition according to claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises more than about 0.5 parts by weight of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) moiety and monomethyl maleate (MMM) moiety per 100 parts by weight of polymer.

5. The anti-scaling composition according to claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises more than about 5 parts by weight of either an AMPS portion or an MMM portion per 100 parts by weight of the polymer.

6. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the chelating agent is selected from N,N-diacetic glutamate or its salt (GLDA), N,N-diacetic aspartic acid or its salt (ASDA), N,N-diacetic methylglycine or its salt (MGDA), N,N',N'-triacetic acid N,N',N'-hydroxyethylethylenediamine or its salt (HEDTA), and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid or its salt (DTPA), and combinations thereof.

7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of one of the methylglycine N,N-diacetic acid and its salt is greater than about 1 part by weight per 100 parts by weight of the composition.

8. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the amount of one of methylglycine N,N-diacetic acid and its salt is greater than about 2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the composition.

9. The composition according to claim 1, wherein the monomer A is selected from (meth)acrylic acid (AA), maleic acid (MA), itaconic acid, and combinations thereof.

10. A method for reducing scale formation during underground processes, comprising mixing the composition of claim 1 with a water source at a temperature above 100 degrees Celsius.

11. The method for reducing scaling in an underground process according to claim 10, wherein the underground process includes a well, and the application step is further defined as applying the anti-scaling composition into the well.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the steps of applying the water flow and applying the antiscaling composition to the water flow are performed at a temperature of about 100°C to about 300°C.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the water stream comprises a metal selected from Ba, Ag, Sr, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cd, Cr, Co, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Al, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the composition inhibits the formation of scale selected from calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, ferric carbonate, ferric sulfide scale, and combinations thereof.

15. A scale inhibitory composition for inhibiting the formation of CaCO3 and CaSO4 in applications, said composition comprising: i. A polymer that is the product of the reaction of (A) an acrylate monomer and (B) one of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and monomethyl maleate; ii. Chelating agents.

16. The antiscaling composition according to claim 15, wherein the chelating agent is selected from monomers N,N-diacetic acid glutamate or its salt (GLDA), N,N-diacetic acid aspartic acid or its salt (ASDA), N,N-diacetic acid methyl glycine or its salt (MGDA), N,N',N'-triacetic acid N,N',N'-hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine or its salt (HEDTA), and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid or its salt (DTPA), and combinations thereof.

17. The composition according to claim 15, wherein the chelating agent is methylglycine N,N-diacetic acid.

18. The composition of claim 15, wherein monomer B in the polymer is >1% by weight of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS).

19. The composition according to claim 15, comprising >2% by weight of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS).

20. The composition according to claim 15, wherein it comprises >1% by weight of monomethyl maleate (MMM).

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