Hydrochloric acid (HCl)
- David Bennett
- May 5
- 2 min read
Using hydrochloric acid (HCl) to clean groundwater wells and pumps can be effective in some situations, but it's often a bad idea or risky due to several reasons:
⚠️ 1. Corrosiveness
Highly aggressive to metal parts: HCl rapidly corrodes steel, iron, and other metal components in pumps, casing, screens, and fittings. This shortens equipment life.
Damage to infrastructure: If used improperly, it can severely damage well screens and joints, especially in older wells.
⚠️ 2. Uncontrolled Reactions
Reacts violently with scale: It can react too quickly with carbonate scales (like calcium carbonate), causing rapid effervescence, heat, and pressure buildup. This can lead to:
Plugging the well with dislodged debris
Damage to screens or formations
Reduced well yield if fines are pushed into the aquifer
⚠️ 3. Safety Hazards
HCl is extremely hazardous to handle—causes chemical burns, emits toxic fumes, and requires strict safety protocols.
Improper use puts field personnel and surrounding areas at serious risk.
⚠️ 4. Environmental Risks
If flushed improperly, acidified water can contaminate aquifers, soils, or surface water.
Can mobilize heavy metals from well components or native geology.
⚠️ 5. Ineffective Against Some Fouling Types
Hydrochloric acid is excellent for dissolving carbonate scale, but useless against biofouling, iron bacteria, or silica scaling—which are common in groundwater wells.
✅ Better Alternatives
Buffered acid blends: These are formulated to work slower and more safely, reducing risk to materials. Boresaver EZ ECO is a good example of this
Surfactant + dispersant + weak acid combinations: These can dislodge biological and inorganic fouling more gently. Boresaver Ultra C is another great example and is partuclarly effective on biofouling and iron bacteria.
Mechanical redevelopment (e.g., airlifting, surging) is often used in conjunction with chemical cleaning for better results. Cable tool rigs are ideal for all these applications
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