Temporal and spatial development of scaling in reservoir aquifers triggered by seawater injection: Three-dimensional reactive mass transport modeling of water-rock-gas interactions

Our study demonstrates that three-dimensional modeling is a useful tool for identifying the type of scale minerals and for quantifying their spatial and temporal distribution. It can help to predict the areas where the porosity and permeability properties of reservoirs strongly change due to mineral dissolution and/or precipitation induced by seawater injection. Different modeling scenarios can be calculated for case-specific hydrogeochemical and hydraulic conditions in oilfields of interest. The results gained about the distribution, the amount and the timing of scale formation help to optimize the water injection strategy in order to avoid the “worst case” of scale formation in reservoirs to extend the wellbore life.