Abstract: Fluids containing liquid crystal-forming surfactants or polymeric surfactants, or polymers, or complex polymers or copolymers, or graphite nanotubes or Janus particles in a polar and/or non polar liquid, and optionally, co-surfactants, are useful in drilling, completion and production operations to give increased viscosity (solids suspension ability) and/or decreased fluid loss, as compared to otherwise identical fluids absent the liquid crystals. These liquid crystal compositions contain organized micelles. The liquid crystal-containing fluids are useful in completion fluids, fracturing fluids, formation damage remediation, waste management, lost circulation, drilling optimization, reducing trapped annular pressure during the hydrocarbon production process, well strengthening, friction and drag reducers, fluids introduced through an injection well, for geothermal wells, and the controlled release of additives into a wellbore, at a subterranean formation or at the oil production facilities.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for controlling the formation of liquid or gas slugs along a pipeline. In embodiments, an injection unit injects a liquid surface tension reducing agent, such as a foamant, into the pipeline upstream of the high point. A control unit can be used to control the injection unit. In certain arrangements, the control unit adjusts the injection of the agent based on measured parameters of interest. In embodiments where the control unit utilizes temperature measurements, one or more temperature sensors are positioned along the pipeline. The control unit utilizes the temperature measurements to determine whether a predetermined condition exists or a liquid or gas slug is present.

Abstract: Fluids containing liquid crystal-forming surfactants or polymeric surfactants, or polymers, or complex polymers or copolymers, or graphite nanotubes or Janus particles in a polar and/or non polar liquid, and optionally, co-surfactants, are useful in drilling, completion and production operations to give increased viscosity (solids suspension ability) and/or decreased fluid loss, as compared to otherwise identical fluids absent the liquid crystals. These liquid crystal compositions contain organized micelles. The liquid crystal-containing fluids are useful in completion fluids, fracturing fluids, formation damage remediation, waste management, lost circulation, drilling optimization, reducing trapped annular pressure during the hydrocarbon production process, well strengthening, friction and drag reducers, fluids introduced through an injection well, for geothermal wells, and the controlled release of additives into a wellbore, at a subterranean formation or at the oil production facilities.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for controlling the formation of liquid or gas slugs along a pipeline. In embodiments, an injection unit injects a liquid surface tension reducing agent, such as a foamant, into the pipeline upstream of the high point. A control unit can be used to control the injection unit. In certain arrangements, the control unit adjusts the injection of the agent based on measured parameters of interest. In embodiments where the control unit utilizes temperature measurements, one or more temperature sensors are positioned along the pipeline. The control unit utilizes the temperature measurements to determine whether a predetermined condition exists or a liquid or gas slug is present.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for controlling the formation of liquid or gas slugs along a pipeline. In embodiments, an injection unit injects a liquid surface tension reducing agent, such as a foamant, into the pipeline upstream of the high point. A control unit can be used to control the injection unit. In certain arrangements, the control unit adjusts the injection of the agent based on measured parameters of interest. In embodiments where the control unit utilizes temperature measurements, one or more temperature sensors are positioned along the pipeline. The control unit utilizes the temperature measurements to determine whether a predetermined condition exists or a liquid or gas slug is present.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for monitoring the accumulations of materials with the interior of a pipeline. The method of the present invention includes use of an array of temperature sensors along the outside of a pipeline, measuring the rate at which heat passing through the wall of the pipeline varies with time. Areas of lower heat loss rates are areas where materials have either been deposited upon the wall of the pipeline or are areas where a denser phase of material has been held up in the pipeline. Based upon the difference in rates of heat transfer, models can be prepared which allow for the distinguishing between the compositions of the accumulated materials.

Abstract: It has been surprisingly discovered that the use of two different conventional defoamers give surprisingly and synergistic results when used together to suppress oil-based foams. The use of both a fluorosilicone together with a non-fluorinated siloxane give both reduced liquid carry over into a gas stream and reduced gas carry under into a liquid stream in a separation process. The fluorosilicone and non-fluorinated siloxane may be added together to a system producing an oil-based foam, or separately in any sequence. On some oil-based foams, the inventive blend achieves a level of performance unattainable by conventional defoamers at any dose. In most cases, better overall performance is obtained with the inventive foam suppressing blend at lower doses and less cost than with conventional defoamers used single.