Polyepoxysuccinic Acid (PESA) – A Versatile Performer in Industrial, Energy, and Manufacturing Sectors

In the Water Treatment Industry: Building a Stable Water Quality Defense

1. A Powerful Scale Inhibitor for Industrial Circulating Water

Industrial circulating water systems are often described as the “blood circulation system” of industrial production. However, calcium and magnesium ions in the water can easily form calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate scale during operation. These hard deposits adhere firmly to the inner walls of pipes and equipment, hindering heat transfer, significantly increasing energy consumption, and even causing pipeline blockages that threaten safe and stable production.

Polyepoxysuccinic Acid (PESA), with its unique molecular structure, precisely adsorbs onto the surface of scale crystals and disrupts their normal growth process. As a result, scale cannot aggregate into dense, hard deposits but instead remains suspended in water as loose and fine particles. For example, after PESA was introduced into the circulating cooling water system of a large steel plant, calcium carbonate scale deposition was dramatically reduced, heat transfer efficiency improved by nearly 20%, energy consumption decreased significantly, and equipment maintenance intervals were extended—strongly ensuring continuous and stable production.

2. A Safety Guardian for Boiler Water

Boilers are the “power furnaces” of industrial production. Under high-temperature conditions, impurities in water rapidly crystallize into scale while corrosion risks increase. PESA acts like a loyal guardian: on one hand, it tightly chelates metal ions in water to inhibit scale formation at the source; on the other hand, it gradually dissolves existing scale, causing it to peel off from metal surfaces.

After a chemical enterprise adopted a boiler water treatment program containing Polyepoxysuccinic Acid (PESA), scale growth was reduced by half, operational safety was greatly improved, efficiency increased, and equipment service life was extended—effectively avoiding safety incidents caused by scale and corrosion.

3. An Anti-Corrosion Shield for Metal Pipelines

Dissolved oxygen and chloride ions in industrial water act like invisible “blades,” continuously corroding metal pipelines. PESA forms a dense molecular protective film on metal surfaces, isolating the metal from corrosive media and suppressing anodic dissolution reactions, thereby slowing down the corrosion process.

In long-distance pipelines used in the petrochemical industry, the application of Polyepoxysuccinic Acid (PESA) reduced the corrosion rate of carbon steel pipelines by more than 60%, significantly extending pipeline service life and reducing economic losses and environmental risks caused by corrosion-related leaks.

In Oilfield Operations: Driving Efficient Extraction Processes

1. A Master Optimizer of Drilling Fluid Performance

A Pillar of Stability
Drilling operations resemble exploration in an underground maze, where drilling fluid stability is critical to success. As a drilling fluid additive, PESA intelligently adjusts rheological properties under complex downhole conditions, ensuring optimal viscosity and shear force. At the same time, it acts as an “ion catcher,” chelating metal ions in the drilling fluid to prevent destabilization.

In formations rich in calcium and magnesium ions, drilling fluids containing Polyepoxysuccinic Acid (PESA) maintained stable performance, effectively reducing incidents such as pipe sticking and ensuring smooth drilling operations.

A Secret Weapon for Clay Swelling Inhibition
Clay minerals in formations can swell dramatically when exposed to water, potentially leading to wellbore collapse and serious safety risks. PESA suppresses clay swelling by exchanging cations on the clay particle surface and reducing surface potential.

In horizontal drilling for shale gas extraction, drilling fluids formulated with PESA successfully inhibited clay swelling in shale formations, maintained wellbore stability, improved drilling efficiency, and opened a smooth pathway for shale gas development.

2. A Reliable Assistant for Enhanced Oil Recovery

Magical Improvement of the Oil–Water Interface
During the late stages of oilfield development, crude oil becomes increasingly difficult to extract. With its surface-active properties, Polyepoxysuccinic Acid (PESA) lowers oil–water interfacial tension, allowing oil droplets to detach more easily from rock surfaces and disperse uniformly in water.

In tertiary oil recovery operations at a mature oilfield, the use of PESA-containing flooding agents increased crude oil recovery by 8%–10%, effectively extending the economic life of the oilfield and unlocking additional oil reserves.

In Metal Processing and Manufacturing: Enhancing Quality and Efficiency

1. A Powerful Cleaning Agent for Metal Surfaces

After metal processing, components often retain oil residues and metal oxides that form a “contaminant armor,” negatively affecting subsequent processes. PESA chelates with metal oxides to dissolve and remove them, while its emulsifying and dispersing effects rapidly break down oil contamination.

In automotive parts manufacturing workshops, metal cleaners containing Polyepoxysuccinic Acid (PESA) effectively removed oil and rust from complex components such as engine blocks, achieving high surface cleanliness standards and laying a solid foundation for precision assembly and coating.

2. A Performance Enhancer for Cutting Fluids

During metal cutting, cutting fluids play a vital role in ensuring machining accuracy and tool life. As a cutting fluid additive, PESA chelates metal ions to maintain chemical stability, while forming a lubricating protective film on tool and workpiece surfaces to reduce friction and wear.

In machining plants, cutting fluids enhanced with Polyepoxysuccinic Acid (PESA) reduced tool wear rates by 20%–30%, significantly improved machining precision, extended cutting fluid replacement cycles, lowered production costs, and enhanced overall manufacturing efficiency and quality.