Patent ID: 6131657
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: C02F,C09K,C23F,C25F,E21B,G21F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of preventing or inhibiting deposition of radioactive metal species and/or mineral scale onto a metal surface in a well used for extracting gas or oil from a gas or oil reservoir, said well having a first metal surface and a second metal surface electrically separated from the first metal surface, with an electrolyte flowable in a space created between the first and the second metal surface, wherein said electrolyte is water containing naturally occurring radioactive material resulting from the natural decay of uranium-238 and thorium-232 and originating from within the pores of permeable reservoir rock, wherein said electrolyte has localized composition variations adjacent said first and second metal surfaces such that said electrolyte creates localized potential difference variations between the first surface and the second surface, said method comprising the step of electrically contacting the first metal surface to the second metal surface.