1. n. [Enhanced Oil Recovery]

A type of inhibition treatment used to control or prevent scale deposition. In a scale-inhibitor squeeze, the inhibitor is pumped into a water-producing zone. The inhibitor is attached to the formation matrix by chemical adsorption or by temperature-activated precipitation and returns with the produced fluid at sufficiently high concentrations to avoid scale precipitation. Some chemicals used in scale-inhibitor squeezes are phosphonated carboxylic acids or polymers.

Alternate Form: scale inhibitor squeeze