Woolpit, United Kingdom: Deben, a leading provider of in-situ testing stages together with innovative accessories and components for electron microscopy, reports on how Scale Protection have used their SEM motorised XY stage in a Hitachi Benchtop SEM continuously for the past four years for the analysis of particulates collected on filters from water extracted from drill wells and associated components. 

Scale Protection is a Norwegian company supplying analysis services to the oil and gas industry. They offer effective monitoring is essential part of scale management. Bulk Scale Analysis, BSA, is the best proven scale monitoring analysis available. In a scaling well, a minor part of the solids tend to adhere to the wellbore, and the rest will flow in bulk to the surface. Analysis of scale particles from produced water is therefore an excellent scale monitoring method. Traditionally dissolved ion concentrations can giver ambiguous conclusions, since scale deposited in the wellbore and in the reservoir can give a similar signature.

A small amount of produced water is filtered through small filters for further analysis by a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with an Element Energy Dispersive System (EDS). Automatic particle analysis is used to measure each scale crystal’s size and composition. On the basis of these data, classification and processing is performed by tailor-made software, ScaleMAN. Accurate quantification can be given to show the amount of each scale type, morphology of the crystals and images.

Ole Magnar Drønen is Founder and CEO of the company and he takes up the story as to the application of the Deben SEM motorized XY stage: “By analysing thousands of particles, a reliable statistical analysis of the minerals on the filter can be presented, repeating this enables/produces a data trend that is a good tool to manage/reduce/prevent using chemicals which saves money. Our analysis requires that sufficient particles are analysed by SEM/EDS in order to be representative. In the range of 20 different areas and in total 500-1,000 crystals are automatically analysed by feature functionality in the SEM. This is only possible with our Deben stage which can move the area of interest by a random selection of areas on the filter. Our SEM with the Deben stage has been run in the range of 5-10 hours, 7 days a week for 4 years without any failure. This is impressive reliability and vital for us to deliver a good turn-around time to our customers.”

In order to provide the Bulk Scale Analysis to more and more customers, without reducing quality and turnaround time, Scale Protection has now invested in a second Scanning Electron Microscope, SEM. This is a FlexSEM 1000 from Hitachi with an EDX from Bruker. This will increase capacity and quality of our service, Bulk Scale Analysis. The latest SEM is a new model from Hitachi with the latest of modern technology. While the analysis will not change, there are now more options available for imaging, especially at very high magnifications.

To obtain full details of the Deben range of SEM stages & accessories, applications and other products, please visit www.deben.co.uk.