The novelty of this work is the process design of matrix acidizing in the field scale to investigate the role of antifouling agents on the performance of acid stimulation of carbonate formations. The main aim of this study was to improve the process design in order to reduce the fouling problems of matrix acid treatments such as accumulation of iron-rich precipitates in the downstream facilities and plugging the pore-volumes of reservoir formation near the wellbore area. In this work, the real time monitoring of 54 systematic acid treatments were assessed to propound a practical and scientific approach in order to manage the fouling tendency of spent acid mud in both rock-formation and downstream facilities. 'Ikvo main chelators of EDTA and NTA (54 samples in the range of 200-800 ppm) as well as their blends (EDTA/NTA 50:50) were examined in order to obtain the optimal injection rate and the fouling tendency of mud acid. The experimental results revealed that NTA (in average concentration of 157 ppm) increased the yield of both acid treatment and wormholing, while it decreased the fouling of downstream facilities and the clogging of formation's pore-volumes; all leading to increase the success of acid stimulation processes. (C) 2017 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights