Abstract: There is a method for enhancing the recovery of oil from a reservoir. The method has the step of a) introducing a flooding fluid into the reservoir and b) extracting the oil through a wellbore at a location different than the point of introduction of the flooding fluid into the reservoir. The flooding fluid has water and an amount of one or more non-polymeric viscoelastic surfactants sufficient to provide an interfacial surface tension of about 1 mNm or less and a viscosity of about 10 cps or more. The one or more surfactants is selected from the group of one or more cationic surfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, one or more amphoteric surfactants, one or more anionic surfactants, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: There is a method for enhancing the recovery of oil from a reservoir. The method has the step of a) introducing a flooding fluid into the reservoir and b) extracting the oil through a wellbore at a location different than the point of introduction of the flooding fluid into the reservoir. The flooding fluid has water and an amount of one or more non-polymeric viscoelastic surfactants sufficient to provide an interfacial surface tension of about 1 mNm or less and a viscosity of about 10 cps or more. The one or more surfactants is selected from the group of one or more cationic surfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, one or more amphoteric surfactants, one or more anionic surfactants, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: There is a method for enhancing the recovery of oil from a reservoir. The method has the step of a) introducing a flooding fluid into the reservoir and b) extracting the oil through a wellbore at a location different than the point of introduction of the flooding fluid into the reservoir. The flooding fluid has water and an amount of one or more non-polymeric viscoelastic surfactants sufficient to provide an interfacial surface tension of about 1 mNm or less and a viscosity of about 10 cps or more. The one or more surfactants is selected from the group of one or more cationic surfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, one or more amphoteric surfactants, one or more anionic surfactants, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: There is a method for enhancing the recovery of oil from a reservoir. The method has the step of a) introducing a flooding fluid into the reservoir and b) extracting the oil through a wellbore at a location different than the point of introduction of the flooding fluid into the reservoir. The flooding fluid has water and an amount of one or more non-polymeric viscoelastic surfactants sufficient to provide an interfacial surface tension of about 1 mNm or less and a viscosity of about 10 cps or more. The one or more surfactants is selected from the group of one or more cationic surfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, one or more amphoteric surfactants, one or more anionic surfactants, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: There is a method for enhancing the recovery of oil from a reservoir. The method has the step of a) introducing a flooding fluid into the reservoir and b) extracting the oil through a wellbore at a location different than the point of introduction of the flooding fluid into the reservoir. The flooding fluid has water and an amount of one or more non-polymeric viscoelastic surfactants sufficient to provide an interfacial surface tension of about 1 mNm or less and a viscosity of about 10 cps or more. The one or more surfactants is selected from the group of one or more cationic surfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, one or more amphoteric surfactants, one or more anionic surfactants, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting silica/silicate scale in aqueous systems is disclosed which comprises the addition to an aqueous system of a scale inhibiting amount of an ester of (A) a carboxylic acid functional polymer obtained by polymerizing an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic monomer or copolymerizing the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic monomer with one or more additional ethylenically unsaturated monomers and (B) a hydroxyl functional polyether obtained by reacting an alkyl alcohol with an alkylene oxide.

Abstract: Oilfields are stimulated by injecting an inflow stream of a fluid into an oil producing well linked to the oilfield, displacing the oil and recovering an outflow stream of fluid comprising the oil, wherein at least two streams are injected into at least two production zones of an oil well or are injected into at least two different oil producing wells from which at least two outflow streams from the two zones or wells are combined before recovering, with a scale inhibitor having detectable moieties being introduced into the oilfield(s) and/or into the fluid, and wherein two different scale inhibitors are used, dedicated to the two zones or wells, said different scale inhibitors having different detectable moieties that can be distinguished by analysis.

Abstract: A temperature-stable, non eco-toxic oil-base well fluid that is particularly suitable for high pressure/high temperature drilling comprises an emulsification system comprising at least one superamide that may or may not be polyalkoxylated, optionally associated with a non-ionic co-surfactant. The oil-base well fluid comprising such a system can be used at temperatures of up to about 200° C. due to the production of highly temperature-stable reverse emulsions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one masked or unmasked polyisocyanate in the form of an aqueous emulsion whose mean size is between 0.1 and 10 micrometers; and at least one polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously a polyol, in the form of a second aqueous dispersion whose mean size is between 10 and 200 nanometers wherein the content of polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously of polyol, expressed in mass percent, is at least equal to ?R?20, with R equal to the ratio of the mean size (d50) of the emulsion to that of the dispersion of polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously of polyol.

Abstract: There is a method for enhancing the recovery of oil from a reservoir. The method has the step of a) introducing a flooding fluid into the reservoir and b) extracting the oil through a wellbore at a location different than the point of introduction of the flooding fluid into the reservoir. The flooding fluid has water and an amount of one or more non-polymeric viscoelastic surfactants sufficient to provide an interfacial surface tension of about 1 mNm or less and a viscosity of about 10 cps or more. The one or more surfactants is selected from the group of one or more cationic surfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, one or more amphoteric surfactants, one or more anionic surfactants, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one masked or unmasked polyisocyanate in the form of an aqueous emulsion whose mean size is between 0.1 and 10 micometers; and at least one polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously a polyol, in the form of a second aqueous dispersion whose mean size is between 10 and 200 nanometers wherein the content of polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously of polyol, expressed in mass per cent, is at least equal to 5/6R-20, with R equal to the ratio of the mean size (d50) of the emulsion to that of the dispersion of polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously of polyol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one masked or unmasked polyisocyanate in the form of an aqueous emulsion whose mean size is between 0.1 and 10 micometers; and at least one polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously a polyol, in the form of a second aqueous dispersion whose mean size is between 10 and 200 nanometers wherein the content of polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously of polyol, expressed in mass per cent, is at least equal to ?R?20, with R equal to the ratio of the mean size (d50) of the emulsion to that of the dispersion of polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously of polyol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to dispersions in an aqueous phase of forming coatings after curing. The composition which can be used for paint and varnish, made up of a dispersion comprising at least one aqueous phase and a population A of particles of (co)polymer(s) whose size is between 10 and 1000 nanometres, in which the particles have an accessible acidic (advantageously carboxylic) functional group content of between 0.2 and 1.2 milliequivalents/gram of solid matter and have an accessible alcoholic functional group content of between 0.3 and 1.5 milliequivalents/gram. Application to paint.

Abstract: The invention concerns guar-free fluids capable of being used in oil mining and containing deacetylated xanthan gum in the form of a polypentamer, combined with at least one compound increasing the medium ionic strength. The invention also concerns the use, as filtrate reducer with improved properties, of deacetylated xanthan gum in the form of a polypentamer, combined with a compound increasing the medium ionic strength and a standard filtrate reducer.

Abstract: Aqueous emulsions of oils, gums or preferably masked (poly)isocyanate resins are prepared by kneading a mixture containing (1) a preferably masked (poly)isocyanate phase (A) with a viscosity of at least 3 Pa.s or a consistency of at least 200, and (2) an aqueous phase including water, at least one surfactant (B) and optionally at least one water-soluble thickening polymer (C). The relative amounts of water (B) and optionally (C) being such that the aqueous phase has a viscosity or consistency preferably no lower than that of the preferably masked (poly)isocyanate phase (A). The kneading is performed for a sufficient time and with sufficient shear to give an oil-in-water emulsion with a particle size of 0.1-5 &mgr;m, and optionally diluting the medium with water.

Abstract: A temperature-stable, non eco-toxic oil-base well fluid that is particularly suitable for high pressure/high temperature drilling comprises an emulsification system comprising at least one superamide that may or may not be polyalkoxylated, optionally associated with a non-ionic co-surfactant. The oil-base well fluid comprising such a system can be used at temperatures of up to about 200° C. due to the production of highly temperature-stable reverse emulsions.

Abstract: Cementing compositions which are particularly suitable for squeeze cementing operations, comprise an aqueous phase, and a micro-cement, the aqueous phase including an aqueous suspension comprising a vinyl acetate type polymer obtained by chemically cross-linking a polyvinyl compound, a nanolatex and an anionic surfactant with a cloud point of more than 80° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one masked or unmasked polyisocyanate in the form of an aqueous emulsion whose mean size is between 0.1 and 10 micometers; and at least one polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously a polyol, in the form of a second aqueous dispersion whose mean size is between 10 and 200 nanometers wherein the content of polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously of polyol, expressed in mass per cent, is at least equal to 5/6R−20, with R equal to the ratio of the mean size (d50) of the emulsion to that of the dispersion of polyhydroxylated polymer, advantageously of polyol.

Abstract: The present invention provides stable, high solids, aqueous emulsions of high viscosity masked (poly)isocyanates, water, surface active agents, and, optionally, thickening water-soluble polymers. The emulsions of the present invention are formulated in as little as 20 parts by weight water or less. The present invention further provides processes for forming such emulsions.

Abstract: A method for preparing aqueous emulsions of oils, gums or preferably masked (poly)isocyanate resins by kneading a mixture consisting of (1) a preferably masked (poly)isocyanate phase (A) with a viscosity of at least 3 Pa.s or a consistency of at least 200, and (2) an aqueous phase consisting of water, at least one surfactant (B) and optionally at least one water-soluble thickening polymer (C), the relative amounts water, (B) and optionally (C) being such that said aqueous phase has a viscosity or consistency preferably no lower than that of the preferably masked (poly)isocyante phase (A), and said kneading being performed for a sufficient time and with sufficient shear to give an oil-in-water emulsion with a particle size of 0.1-5 &mgr;m, and optionally by diluting the medium with water.