Abstract: Methods for treating a formation penetrated by a wellbore which improves fluid loss control during treatment. In some aspects, the treatments include preparing an aqueous fluid including one or more water inert polymers and an optional viscosifier, injecting the aqueous fluid into the wellbore at a pressure equal to or greater than the formation's fracture initiation pressure, and thereafter injecting into the wellbore a proppant laden fluid at a pressure equal to or greater than the formation's fracture initiation pressure. The water inert polymer may be a polymer such as an emulsion polymer or a latex polymer. Some methods of the invention use a fluid which may have a normalized leak off coefficient (Cw/sqrt(K)) equal to or less than about 0.0022, 0.0014, or 0.0010. A conventional fluid loss additive may or may not be used in conjunction with the treatment fluid and/or the proppant laden fluid. The water inert polymer may or may not substantially enter formation pores.

Abstract: A system and method for using a probe-based guided-wave radar sensor to measure fluid level in a container in a non-contact mode are provided. The system and method of the current invention replaces a wall section of the fluid container, such as a steel slurry tub with a panel of radar-transparent material, such as plastic. The level probe is mounted external to the container, adjacent to the radar-transparent panel. By avoiding contact between the sensor probe and the fluid, whether the fluid be cement slurry or another fluid prone to probe degradation, it is possible to eliminate the possibility of contamination, build-up, caking and/or damage to the probe along with the associated degradation in sensor performance.

Abstract: A method for well treatment by forming a temporary plug in a fracture, a perforation, a wellbore, or more than one of these locations, in a well penetrating a subterranean formation is provided, in which the method of well treatment includes: injecting a slurry comprising a degradable material, allowing the degradable material to form a plug in a perforation, a fracture, or a wellbore in a well penetrating a formation; performing a downhole operation; and allowing the degradable material to degrade after a selected time such that the plug disappears.

Abstract: Method for cementing a well comprising a hydraulic cement, water, carbon fiber and graphite are provided. The synergy achieved from combining fibers and particulates into the same sample results in a composite slurry with improved electrical properties and easy-to-optimize rheologies. Method for measuring resistivity through casing thanks to the nature of the cement composition is also provided.

Abstract: Two new flow parameters derived from laboratory core-flood experiments are used in building mathematical models to predict the performance of an acid treatment when treatment is made with self diverting fracturing acids. The two new variables are: ?Pr is defined as the value of ?p (in the core flood experiment) when ?p switches from a first to a second linear trend at time tr ?r is the number of pore volumes injected when the switch occurs.

Abstract: Acidizing methods for subterranean formations formed of predominantly siliceous material as well as acidizing compositions. Some methods include injecting into a predominantly siliceous subterranean formation, an aqueous acidic mixture formed by blending an aqueous liquid, a fluoride source, and an effective amount of an alkane sulfonic acid, preferably methane sulfonic acid, to adjust the pH of the fluid where the alkane sulfonic acid where the alkane group may be an unbranched, a branched or a cyclic alkyl residue. Hydrofluoric acid (HF) may not be added to the fluid in some embodiments as the fluoride source, such as the case for an HF free fluid, and, in some instances, hydrochloric acid is not added to the fluid to adjust pH. Also described are compositions containing an aqueous acidic mixture formed by blending an aqueous liquid, a fluoride source, and an effective amount of an alkane sulfonic acid to adjust pH.

Abstract: A method of plugging a fracture in a subterranean formation which includes placing into the fracture a composition comprising microspheres or microbeads, wherein the microspheres are created by surface crosslinking of droplets in a water-in-water emulsion. Such microspheres may form a filter cake in the formation. The microspheres may include a chemical agent to be released when the microspheres dissolve.

Abstract: The invention provides a cement slurry composition for cementing a well comprising a hydraulic cement, water, carbon fiber and graphite. Compositions of the current invention combine the benefits obtained from adding carbon fiber and graphite to the cement composite. The synergy achieved from combining fibers and particulates into the same sample results in a composite slurry with improved electrical properties and easy-to-optimize rheologies.

Abstract: A cement system for use in treating lost circulation includes a slurry of cement, water and a super-absorbent polymer which absorbs free water in the slurry to form a gel—ore preferably a solid-like structure—when placed in the well, and which releases the absorbed water to the cement hydration reaction as the cement sets. The absorption of water causes the slurry to develop a solid-like structure. In one embodiment, the superabsorbent is polyacrylamide or modified crosslinked poly(meth)acrylate. Also presented is a method of treating lost circulation by pumping the above-mentioned cement system.

Abstract: A permeable cement composition including an aqueous slurry of a hydraulic cement which is based upon a water-immiscible dispersed fluid phase and a hollow particulate material. The hollow particulate material breaks down in the presence of the cement so as to leave voids which together with the dispersed phase create a permeable structure in the cement.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus to be lowered in a borehole, comprising: (i) a delivery section for delivering a plugging fluid; (ii) a setting section comprising a longitudinal element and a flexible and permeable sleeve into which the plugging fluid is delivered; and (iii) a disconnect mechanism to allow the delivery section to be disconnected from the setting section, characterized in that the flexible sleeve is connected by at least one floating means to the longitudinal element.

Abstract: Particulate material used for proppant flowback control from the fracture, where the material is a polymer which increases its hardness under downhole conditions.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of treating a producing well by removing wellbore solids. Accordingly, a first, polymer containing fluid is placed in the solids bed, and a second, viscosifying fluid is then placed into the solids bed thereby agitating the solids in the bed and causing the formation of a gel capsules when mixed with the biopolymer fluid. These gel capsules are capable of trapping or entraining the agitated solids. The gel capsules typically have a relatively high volume and a relatively low density, thereby making their removal from the wellbore easier.

Abstract: A composition and method is given for a well control fluid that is injected into a well during completion or remediation and prevents fluid flow from a formation into the well during operations (such as shut-in, or placement or adjustment of tools/hardware) when no fluid flow is desired. The composition includes a viscoelastic surfactant fluid system (VES) and a decomposable first solid material, preferably in fiber form, that forms a pack or plug in the well at the location where fluid would otherwise leak off, and then decomposes without intervention to release a product that is a breaker for the surfactant or the micelles of the VES. The composition optionally also contains a pH control agent and a second solid (that may also be a fluid loss agent) that affect the decomposition of the first solid.

Abstract: A method of constructing a well comprising a borehole drilled through underground formations, comprises: positioning at least one device on the outside of the tubular string (e.g. a drill string or casing string), the device being operable to move between first and second configurations; positioning a tubular string in the borehole with the device positioned in the annular space between the tubular string and the borehole wall in its first configuration so as to interact with the tubular string and the borehole while allowing borehole fluid to flow along the annular space and around the device; and operating the device so as to move it from its first configuration to expand into its second configuration in which it substantially fills at least part of the annular space so as to inhibit flow of fluids along the borehole in the space.

Abstract: A technique that is usable with a well includes running a motor into the well and actuating the motor to turn a drill bit. The motor is used to pump well fluid from the well.

Abstract: A temporary matrix is provided in treating a subterranean formation by providing a composition comprising a matrix forming material and a matrix degrading material. The matrix degrading material is capable of degrading the matrix after a period of time when subjected to existing or induced conditions of the subterranean formation. The composition is placed into a wellbore penetrating the subterranean formation. The composition is allowed to form a matrix within the wellbore, whereby the matrix at least one of significantly reduces the passage of fluid across or near the matrix or provides structural strength. A treatment operation is performed on the subterranean formation or wellbore and the degrading material is allowed to degrade the matrix.

Abstract: A composition and method for improving the fluid efficiency of many oilfield treatments is given. The composition is a solid additive, in a viscosified fluid, in a size range small enough that it enters formation pores; it optionally bridges there to form an internal filter cake, and then decomposes to provide a breaker for the viscosifying system for the fluid. Examples of suitable additives include waxes, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyacetals, polymelamines, polyvinyl chlorides, and polyvinyl acetates. Degradation of the additive may be accelerated or delayed.

Abstract: A cement retarder system for use in underground wells included a borate compound, an organophosphonate salt, and a copolymer formed from AMPS and a monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, acrylamide and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The use of silicate as a retarder enhancer at appropriate levels to enhance the retarding effect of retarders at high temperatures encountered downhole while accelerating the set of cement at lower temperatures encountered near to the surface.