FLURO-INORGANICS FOR INHIBITING OR REMOVING SILICA OR METAL SILICATE DEPOSITS

Abstract A method for reducing the pH of an aqueous system (for removing an inorganic or organic deposit like silica by contacting an acid composition with an internal surface of a well), comprising contacting an acid composition with an internal surface of a piece of equipment, wherein the acid composition comprises a salt of a nitrogen base having a fluoro-inorganic anion. The fluoro-inorganic anion may comprise tetrafluoroborate or hexafluorophosphate, and the nitrogen base may comprise urea, biuret, an alkyl urea, an alkanolamine, an alkylamine, a dialkylamine, a trialkylamine, an alkyldiamine, an alkyltriamine, an alkyltetramine, a polyamine, an acrylamide, a polyacrylamide, a vinyl pyrollidone, a polyvinyl pyrollidone, or a combination. The piece of equipment is a pipe, a drain line, or a fluid transfer line.