Inhibitor formulated with linseed mucilage (Linum usitatissimum) for mineral scales precipitation control

Abstract

A linseed-based inhibitor (Linum usitatissimum) was developed that would control the scale precipitation applying experimental trials. The linseed gel was initially extracted by a hydrolysis process and then different inhibitors were formulated at 30, 40 and 50 %m/V concentrations.  In order to study the physicochemical characteristics of each product and the linseed gel.  A synthetic water was formulated and a sample of production water from the Oritupano oilfield was collected, they were characterized by physicochemical tests. Subsequently, the inhibition efficiency of the formulated product was evaluated, considering NACE TM 0374-2007, at different doses (10, 55 and 100 ppm).  The 50 %m/V inhibitor was the most efficient, obtaining efficiency values between 59% and 95.67% for the production water and 36.67% and 92.22% for the synthetic water, showing that at higher concentration, the efficiency increases. Finally, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied between the formulated inhibitors and a commercial reference inhibitor, obtaining a behavior quite similar to the standard inhibitor and demonstrating its efficiency. Concluding that linseed gel-based inhibitors were efficient in mineral scales and salt precipitation inhibition, because in some cases they showed greater efficiencies than the commercial product evaluated.