We use a novel surface diagnostic tool capable of identifying the condition of the surface.
Inorganic scaling, defined as unwanted precipitation and adhesion of inorganic crystals, severely limits optimal energy production, especially in the petroleum and geothermal industry.
Mixing of incompatible brines and changes in physical conditions causes scaling, while CO2 dissolution results in corrosion. Understanding the kinetics and interactions of these reactions are important in mitigating this issue. We have created an experimental workflow, which can assess pipeline integrity and investigate scaling kinetics. The aim of this project is twofold:
1. Use the analysis tool XCHANTO to characterize the surface texture of a pipeline extracted post-production.
2. Investigate multiple scaled surfaces, the sensitivity of determining phase boundaries in complex systems, and determine the suitability for the analysis of corroded surfaces
Ultimately, we aim to develop a diagnostic model which, based on empirical surface textures, can characterize the integrity of a pipeline surface.