Abstract: A gas service riser assembly and ductile pipe to plastic pipe transition connection is provided. The gas service riser assembly comprises an outer ductile pipe, a plastic pipe having open ends disposed within the outer ductile pipe and extending through one end thereof, a hollow rigid stiffener disposed within the interior of a portion of the plastic pipe within the outer ductile pipe, a gasket positioned around the exterior of the plastic pipe adjacent to the stiffener, and a crimp formed in the outer ductile pipe adjacent to the stiffener and the gasket whereby the outer ductile pipe is compressed against the gasket, plastic pipe and the stiffener to form a seal.

Abstract: A continuously operating ultra-stable flare pilot for igniting a flammable fluid discharged from the open end of a flare stack and methods are provided. The flare pilot basically comprises a fuel-air mixture inlet conduit, a fuel-air mixture discharge nozzle attached to the fuel-air mixture inlet conduit and a wind shield having a lower end attached to the fuel-air mixture discharge nozzle or the fuel-air mixture inlet conduit. The wind shield has an open upper end which includes an upstanding wall portion facing the open end of the flare stack and the wind shield includes an outwardly extending wind capturing baffle attached to each of the opposite sides of the wind shield positioned substantially around openings in the wind shield through which captured wind can flow into the interior of the wind shield.

Abstract: Methods of reducing or preventing particulate flow-back in subterranean zones. In accordance with the methods, a treating fluid having a mixture of reticulated foam fragments and particulate solids are suspended therein. The treating fluid is introduced into a subterranean zone and the mixture of the reticulated foam fragments and the particulate solids are deposited in the subterranean zone whereby the reticulated foam fragments retard or prevent the flow-back of the particulate solids and the transport of formation fines from the subterranean zone upon the flowing-back of fluid from the zone.

Abstract: Methods of treating subterranean zones penetrated by well bores wherein the static temperatures of the zones are as high as 400° F. and greater include using aqueous treating fluids comprised of an aqueous liquid containing one or more inorganic monovalent salts, multivalent salts or both in an amount no greater than about 5% by weight of the aqueous liquid and one or more specific synthetic hectorite clay gelling and thixotropy imparting agents.

Abstract: Changes occurring downhole during a fracturing process can create or reflect pressure signals. Capturing and evaluating such pressure waves during fracturing enables personnel to monitor, in real time or later, what happens downhole. When a fracture extends, a burst of acoustic noise is embodied in a pressure wave or signal, as is noise coming from other sources. By transforming time-based pressure signals to a frequency base, one can monitor this acoustic noise. In a particular implementation, a waterfall plot of frequency spectra at successive time slices of the original signal is used to determine frequency ridges, such as a ridge of decreasing frequencies indicates fracture extension and a ridge of increasing frequencies indicates either closure or proppant backing up in the fracture. Filtering, such as wavelet filtering, can be used. A fracturing process can be controlled in response to determining whether the fracture is extending.

Abstract: Storable water-microsphere suspensions for use in well cements and methods of cementing well bores are provided. The storable water-microsphere suspensions are basically comprised of water, microspheres and an effective amount of a suspending agent selected from the group consisting of microfine or colloidal materials and gel forming polymers.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, lightweight well cement compositions and additives for the well cement compositions. The methods of the invention for sealing pipe in a well bore penetrating a zone or formation which readily fractures at low hydrostatic pressure is basically comprised of the steps of providing a lightweight cement composition comprised of a hydraulic cement, water and an additive comprising an aqueous suspension of microspheres containing a water swellable clay suspending agent, placing the cement composition in the annulus between the pipe and the well bore and allowing the cement composition to set.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved foamed well cement slurries, additives and methods. The foamed well cement slurries are basically comprised of a hydraulic cement, sufficient water to form a pumpable slurry, sufficient gas to form a foam and an effective amount of an additive for foaming the slurry comprised of hydrolyzed keratin.

Abstract: The present invention provides light weight high temperature well cement compositions and methods. The compositions are basically comprised of calcium aluminate, ASTM class F fly ash, sodium polyphosphate, a cationic derivatized starch fluid loss control additive and water.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved methods for cementing. The methods are basically comprised of the steps of preparing a cement composition comprised of hydraulic cement, water, gas, surfactants, a cement early strength accelerator and a mildly set retarding cement dispersing agent, placing the cement composition in the annulus between the casing string and the well bore and allowing the cement composition to set into a hard impermeable mass. The cement composition used can alternatively comprise hydraulic cement, a water reducing additive, a dispersing additive, a set accelerating additive and water. Also, the cement composition can be made environmentally benign by using water reducing and dispersing additives, set retarding additives, and compressive strength and set accelerating additives which are environmentally degradable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, aqueous treating fluids and friction pressure reducers for the treating fluids. A treating fluid of the invention comprises water and a non-toxic environmentally acceptable friction pressure reducer comprising a mixture of a copolymer of acrylamide and dimethylaminoethyl acrylate quaternized with benzyl chloride and a stabilizing and dispersing homopolymer of ethanaminium,N,N,N-trimethyl-2-[(1,oxo-2-prbpenyl)oxy]-chloride.

Abstract: Lightweight cement compositions and methods of cementing a subterranean zone penetrated by a well bore utilizing the compositions are provided. A lightweight cement composition of the invention is basically comprised of a coarse particulate hydraulic cement, an ultrafine particulate hydraulic cement mixture comprised of slag cement and a Portland or equivalent cement, fly ash, fumed silica, hollow glass spheres and water.

Abstract: Methods of completing unconsolidated hydrocarbon producing zones penetrated by cased and cemented well bores are provided. The methods include the steps of forming spaced openings through the casing and cement and injecting a first hardenable resin composition through the openings into the unconsolidated producing zone adjacent to the well bore. Without waiting for the first hardenable resin composition to harden, a fracturing fluid containing proppant particles coated with a second hardenable resin composition is injected through the openings into the unconsolidated producing zone at a rate and pressure sufficient to fracture the producing zone. The proppant particles coated with the second hardenable resin composition are deposited in the fractures and the first and second hardenable resin compositions are allowed to harden by heat.

Abstract: A high temperature viscosifying and fluid loss controlling additive for use in well cements, well cement compositions including the additive and methods of using the compositions are provided. The well cement compositions of this invention are comprised of a hydraulic cement, water and a viscosifying and fluid loss controlling additive comprising a mixture of a polymer comprised of at least one monomer which is calcium tolerant, anionic and disperses basic cement slurries, at least one monomer which hydrolyzes in basic cement slurries to generate anionic carboxylate groups that bind with calcium and viscosify the slurries and at least one monomer which generates non-ionic pendant groups on the polymer upon hydrolyzing in basic cement slurries to prevent polymer precipitation and a homopolymer of a monomer which hydrolyzes in basic cement slurries to generate anionic carboxylate groups that bind with calcium, viscosify the slurries and prevent settling in the slurries.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of treating subterranean zones penetrated by well bores in primary well cementing operations, well completion operations, production stimulation treatments and the like. The methods are basically comprised of introducing into the subterranean zone an aqueous well treating fluid comprised of water and a water soluble polymer complex fluid loss control additive.

Abstract: A method for isolating selected downhole zones of a wellbore comprises utilizing pre-perforated conduit wherein the perforations have been temporarily sealed prior to positioning downhole. A resin-coated particulate, which forms a permeable solid mass to filter and prevent the introduction of formation sand or fines during well production and is used to secure the pre-perforated casing in the wellbore. The pre-perforated casing, permeable solid and formation are perforated and the resulting perforations filled with a curable composition which cures as an impermeable solid. The impermeable areas define individual downhole zones. Devices such as straddle packers or expandable tubes encapsulated in impermeable sleeves are used to isolate the resulting zones.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved reactive cement compositions for sealing hydrocarbon containing subterranean zones and methods of using the cement compositions. The sealing compositions are basically comprised of water, a hydraulic cement, an organophillic clay, a hydratable gelling agent and a water soluble alkaline source in effective amounts.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for removing a water-based drilling fluid from surfaces in a well bore and leaving the surfaces water-wet. A method of the invention basically comprises the following steps. A water-based drilling fluid removal solution comprised of water and a mixture of a sulfonated kraft lignin salt and an N-methyl-N-oleyltaurine salt dissolved therein is provided. The drilling fluid is displaced from the well bore and the well bore surfaces are contacted with the removal solution to thereby remove the drilling fluid from the surfaces and make the surfaces water-wet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for encapsulating a liquid within a semi-permeable membrane. In particular, the present invention provides a method for encapsulating free flowing liquids. The current invention also provides a method for treating the downhole region of a well using encapsulated well treatment chemicals. The method of treating the downhole region of a well is particularly useful in acid etching a fracture face.

Abstract: Improved methods of treating subterranean formations using solid particles and other larger solid materials are provided. The methods are basically comprised of the steps of introducing a carrier fluid containing suspended solid particles which have been coated with a non-hardening tackifying agent into a subterranean formation, mixing a solid material of larger size with the tackifying compound coated solid particles whereby the solid particles stick to the larger solid material and the solid particles and larger solid material are uniformly suspended in the carrier fluid and depositing the larger solid material and the tackifying compound coated smaller solid particles in the subterranean formation.