Utilização do Roadmap para verificar tendências relacionadas à minimização da incrustação de carbonato de cálcio em sistemas de produção e exploração de óleo e gás

Abstract

The accumulation of inorganic salts with low solubility is one of the causes of mineral scale formation on surfaces. The formation of scale in equipment and in the lines of oil exploration and production processes can cause operational problems, damage to pipes and equipment, and also affect fluid flow. Therefore, this is a problem of great importance in the oil and gas industry, as it can lead to loss of production and increase in costs with maintenance and stoppages. Inorganic scale formation can be caused by the accumulation of various types of inorganic salts with low solubility, but in this study the focus will be on the formation of calcium carbonate scale (CaCO3), which is an inorganic salt that is abundant in many oil fields. Thus, the objective of this work is to verify trends related to the remediation of CaCO3 scale problems in oil exploration and production processes. The work was carried out using the technology roadmapping (TRM) method, which features a strategic approach to innovation management and planning, seeking to understand the technological evolution of a product or process. This approach includes the two main aspects, which are an application (the roadmapping process) and the result of the application (a map, or roadmap). From the completion of the work, it was possible to see how the publications on the subject are progressing, the identification of mitigation solutions for the scale problem and analyze the trends of studies in relation to the minimization of scale in the oil industry. It was identified, within the research carried out, that in the short and medium term (patents granted and applied for) only chemical inhibitors and physical devices appeared as forms of mitigation. In the long term (scientific articles), chemical inhibitors, physical devices and coatings were seen as mitigation products. Despite this, it was observed that the use of chemical inhibitors is still the most common with regard to the minimization of scaling, both in patents and in articles. It was verified the appearance of studies of environmentally friendly products, showing an environmental concern with the generated waste. In addition, an analysis of the works found that were published in Brazil was carried out, revealing that in general, despite Brazil having a large company in the oil and gas sector, few publications were observed.