A Robust Empirical Correlation for Predicting Strontium Sulfate Scaling in Oilfield Brines

Authors

  • Hosni Ezuber College of Engineering, University of Bahrain, Bahrain Author
  • Sabri Mrayed College of Engineering, University of Bahrain, Bahrain Author
  • Yahya Dalal College of Engineering, University of Bahrain, Bahrain Author
  • Layal Abuaziz College of Engineering, University of Bahrain, Bahrain Author
  • Wejdan Fardan College of Engineering, University of Bahrain, Bahrain Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66411/jer.v41i2.442

Keywords:

Scale, Strontium Sulfate, Prediction Method, Saturation Ratio, Gauss–Newton Regression Analysis

Abstract

A simple and reliable method for predicting strontium sulfate (SrSO4) scaling as a function of multiple variables; including temperature (25 to 300◦C), pressure (1 to 500 bar), and sodium chloride concentration up to 4 M, has been developed. Instead of relying on complex ion-interaction theories, an empirical polynomial correlation was utilized, which was fitted to experimental solubility data. By benchmarking this method against both existing literature and actual oilfield observations, it has been demonstrated that the developed simplified polynomial correlation can achieve accuracy comparable to complex thermodynamic models, thereby providing an accessible and robust predictive tool for oilfield environments.

0 0

References

[1] Hashemi, S. H., Besharati, Z., Torabi, F., & Pimentel, N. Thermodynamic prediction of scale formation in oil fields during water injection: Application of SPsim program through utilizing advanced Visual Basic Excel tool. Processes, 12(12), 2722, 2024. 10.3390/pr12122722

[2] Vazirian, M. M., Charpentier, T. V. J., de Oliveira Penna, M., & Neville, A. Surface inorganic scale formation in oil and gas industry: As adhesion and deposition processes. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 137, 22–32,2016. 10.1016/j.petrol.2015.11.005

[3] Patton, C., Applied water technology, 2nd Edition, Published by Campbell Petroleum Series, USA, PP 53-107, 1995.

[4] Lindlof, J. C. and Stoffer, K. G, " A case study of seawater injection incompatibility", Paper SPE 9626, J. Pet. Tech, 35(07), 1256-1262,1983. 10.2118/9626-PA

[5] Irogbele, A. B. Ibrahim, B. Adjei, D. Amponsah, V. Trabelsi, R. Trabelsi H. and Boukadi, F. Scale Deposition During Water Flooding and the Effect on Reservoir Performance, Processes, 13(8),2645; 2025. 10.3390/pr13082645

[6] Ahmad F, Morris K, Law G, Taylor K, Shaw S, Fate of radium on the discharge of oil and gas produced water to the marine environment, Chemosphere, 273, 2021, 129550. 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129550

[7] Jacques, D., and Bourland, B. "A study of solubility of strontium sulfate", Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal. 23 (02), 292–300, 1983. Paper Number: SPE-9625-PA. 10.2118/9625-PA

[8] Oddo, J., and Tomson, M. "Why scale forms and how to predict it", Paper SPE 21710, SPE production & Facilities, 9 (1), 47-54, 1994. 10.2118/21710-PA

[9] Raju, K., and Atkinson, G., "Thermodynamics of scale mineral scale solubilities. 2. SrSO4 (S) in aqueous NaCl", Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data, 34(3), 361-364, 1989. 10.1021/je00057a028

[10] Atkinson, G., Raju, K., and Howell, R., "The thermodynamics of scale prediction", SPE Paper No. 21021, presented at the SPE International Symposium on Oilfield Chemistry, 20-22 February, Anaheim, California, 1991.

[11] Yeboah, Y., Samuah, S. and Saeed, M. "A new and reliable model for predicting oilfield scale formation", SPE Paper No. 25166, Presented at the SPE International symposium on oilfield chemistry, March 2-5, Louisiana, USA, 1993.

[12] Yeboah, Y., Samuah, S. and Saeed, M. "Prediction of carbonate and sulfate scales in oilfield", SPE Paper No. 25586, SPE Middle East Oil Technical Conference & Exhibition, April 3-6, Bahrain, 1993.

[13] Strübel G. "Die hydrothermale loslichkeit von colestin im system SrSO4-NaCl-H2O, Neues Jahrb. Mineral. Mon. P.99, 1966.

[14] Reardon E. and Armstrong D. "Celestite (SrSO4(s)) solubility in water, seawater and NaCl solution, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta", 51(1), 63-72, 1986. 10.1016/0016-7037(87)90007-x

[15] Monnin C, "A thermodynamic model for the solubility of barite and celestite in electrolyte solutions and seawater to 200oC and to 1 kbar", Chemical Geology, 153, 187-209, 1999. 10.1016/S0009-2541(98)00171-5

[16] Howell, R. Raju, K. and Atkinson, G. "Thermodynamics of scale Mineral solubilities. 4. Experimental measurement of SrSO4(s) in H2O and aqueous NaCl from 25 to 250oC and from 1 to 500 bar", J. Chem. Eng. Data, 37(4), 464-469, 1992. 10.1021/JE00008A020

[17] Davis, J., Collins, A. "Solubility of Barium and Strontium Sulfates in Strong Electrolyte Solutions", Env. Sc. and Techn., 5(10), 1039-1043, 1971. 10.1021/es60057a007

[18] Muller, G. "Die Loslichkeit von coelestin (SrSO4) in wasserigen NaCl- und KCl – losungen", Neues Jahrab. Mineral. Mon. (10), 237-243, 1960.

[19] Schulien, S. "High temperature/high pressure solubility measurements in the systems BaSO4-NaCl-H2O and SrSO4-NaCl-H2O in connection with scale studies". SPE Paper 16264 presented at the International Symposium on Oilfield Chemistry, San Antonio, TX, February, 1987.

[20] Ezuber, H. “Prediction of Strontium Sulfate Scale Formation in Oilfield Environment”, Journal of ASTM International, 4(6), 1-11, 2007. DOI:10.1520/JAI100958.

[21] Safari, H. Shokrollahi, A. Jamialahmadi, M. Ghazanfari, M. Predicting the solubility of SrSO4 in Na-Ca-Mg-Sr-Cl-SO4-H2O system at elevated temperatures and pressures, Fluid Phase Equilibria, 374, P. 86-101,2014. 10.1016/j.fluid.2014.04.023

[22] Garcia, A. V., Thomsen, K., & Stenby, E. Prediction of mineral scale formation in geothermal and oilfield operations using the extended UNIQUAC model: Part I. Sulfate scaling minerals. Geothermics, 34(1), 61-97 2005. 10.1016/j.geothermics.2004.11.002

[23] Carlberg, B. and Matthews, R. "Solubility of calcium sulfate in brine", SPE Paper No. SPE 4353, Oilfield Chemistry Symposium, Denver, Colorado, May 24-25, (1973), P.69.

[24] Millero. F and Masterton W. "Volume change for the formation of magnesium sulfate ion pairs at various temperature", J. Phys. Chem. Vol. 78(13), 1287-1294, 1974. 10.1021/j100606a010

[25] Atkinson. G, Mecik M, "The chemistry of scale prediction", J. Pet. Sci. Eng., 17, 113-121, 1997. 10.1016/S0920-4105(96)00060-5

[26] North, N. "Pressure dependence of SrSO4 solubility", Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 38(7), 1075-1081, 1974. 10.1016/0016-7037(74)90005-2

[27] Ezuber, H. Mrayed, S. Buhmaid, A. Almutawa, H. Forecasting barium sulfate precipitation potential in brine solutions using nonlinear regression analysis, Vol. 16 No. 2 (2026), 10.55493/5003.v16i2.6017

[28] Ezuber, H. Mrayed, S. and Altobli, M. A simple correlation for predicting gypsum deposition from brine solutions, South African Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol. 43, P. 104-111 (2023). 10.1016/j.sajce.2022.10.002

[29] Ezuber, H. Simple mathematical model for predicting anhydrite calcium sulfate scale deposition in brines, 8th International Conference on Modeling Simulation and Applied Optimization (ICMSAO), Bahrain, 15-17 April 2019. IEEE, 10.1109/ICMSAO.2019.8880372

[30] Yuan, M.D. and Todd, A.C. Prediction of Sulfate Scaling Tendency in Oilfield Operations, SPE Production Engineering Journal, Vol. 6. 63-72, February (1991). 10.2118/18484-PA

Downloads

Published

25-10-2026

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

[1]
H. Ezuber, S. Mrayed, Y. Dalal, L. Abuaziz, and W. Fardan, “A Robust Empirical Correlation for Predicting Strontium Sulfate Scaling in Oilfield Brines”, JER, vol. 41, no. 2, pp. 159–170, Oct. 2026, doi: 10.66411/jer.v41i2.442.