Abstract: The invention provides an organic diacid anhydride-modified chitosan containing a polar additive comprising water soluble compounds containing one or more hydroxyl groups or one or more amino groups, including compounds containing both hydroxyl and amine groups, having a molecular weight less than about 2000, preferably less than about 1000. The invention also provides fluids useful in various well drilling and servicing operations comprising an alkaline aqueous liquid containing an organic diacid anhydride, chitosan, and the polar additive therein, as well as a method of drilling wells therewith.

Abstract: The invention provides well drilling and servicing fluids comprising an alkaline aqueous liquid containing chitosan, an anhydride, and an aldehyde therein. The invention further provides a method of drilling a well wherein there is circulated in the wellbore during drilling a drilling fluid comprising an alkaline aqueous liquid containing chitosan and an anhydride, and optionally an aldehyde therein.

Abstract: The invention provides aqueous viscous or gelled alkaline fluids particularly useful in oil and gas well operations, and a method of drilling a well therewith. The fluids contain chitosan, an amine reactive acid, and an aldehyde therein, whereby the amine reactive acid and the aldehyde react with the primary amino group on the chitosan to increase the viscosity and stability of the fluid. The fluids are also useful wherein other chitosan-containing fluids are utilized. The preferred amine reactive acid is glyoxylic acid, and the preferred aldehyde is lactose.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of producing modified, derivatized chitosans which produce viscous aqueous liquids when dispersed (solublized) in compatible aqueous liquids. The method comprises reacting chitosan in an acidic solution with an aldehyde-group containing chemical modifier at an elevated temperature wherein the concentration of chitosan in the acidic solution and the reaction time at the elevated temperature are sufficient to produce a semi-solid gel. The preferred chemical modifier is one or more saccharides containing less than about 10 saccharide units, most preferably lactose. The preferred reaction temperature is greater than about 60° C., and the preferred concentration of chitosan is at least about 1.43% w/v. The invention also discloses the acidic chitosan-containing concentrates prepared by the method, and the viscous acidic fluids prepared by dispersing/solubilizing the concentrates in aqueous liquids.

Abstract: Disclosed are a process for the preparation of pseudoplastic, shear thinning chitosan-containing fluids, and a method of enhancing the thermal stability of such fluids. Pseudoplastic fluids useful oil and/or gas wells, particularly drilling fluids, drill-in fluids, workover fluids, completion fluids, perforating fluids, filter cake removal fluids, various pills, and the like, are prepared by solublizing chitosan in an acidic solution and thereafter raising the pH above about 7.0 by the addition of a basic compound thereto. The thermal stability of such fluids is enhanced by incorporating into the fluids certain aldose or ketose sugars, oligosaccharides of such sugars, and mixtures thereof, optionally together with a water soluble bisulfite compound.

Abstract: Disclosed are oil-in-water emulsions containing an aqueous polysaccharide-containing continuous phase, an emulsified oleaginous liquid, and an oligosaccharide mixture composed of sugar units selected from the group consisting of arabinose, mannose, galactose, glucose, xylose, and mixtures thereof, and which consists primarily of pentosans and hexosans containing from one to ten sugar units. The emulsions preferably also contain an alkaline earth metal oxide or hydroxide, preferably lime. The emulsions may also contain aphrons. Also disclosed is a method of increasing the low shear rate viscosity of aqueous polysaccharide-containing fluids which comprise incorporating into the fluids an oligosaccharide mixture, an oleaginous liquid, and optionally, an alkaline earth metal oxide or hydroxide.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of increasing the thermal stability or decreasing the fluid loss of aqueous polysaccharide-containing fluids which comprises incorporating into the fluids an oligosaccharide mixture composed of arabinose, mannose, galactose, glucose, and xylose sugar units, the oligosaccharide mixture consisting of the water soluble portion of thermally hydrolyzed lignocellulose and consisting primarily of pentosans and hexosans containing from one to four combined sugar units.Preferred fluids contain a biopolymer which increases the low shear rate viscosity of the fluids. Fluids which contain polysaccharides which impart other desirable characteristics to the fluids, such as increased viscosity at higher shear rates, fluid loss control, and the like, also exhibit increased thermal stability upon incorporating the oligosaccharide mixture therein.

Abstract: A razor body for use with a canister which contains aerosol shaving cream. The razor body may is also combined with the canister such that the razor body and canister form a razor system. The canister includes a body with a head formed on a distal head thereof and a neck formed between the head and the body. A shoulder is defined between the neck and the body. The razor body includes an elongated tubular body portion having walls which define an axially elongated cavity therein. A razor support is positioned on one end of the tubular body and a stabilizing structure is positioned on an end opposite the razor support. A plunger is positioned in the elongated cavity. A plunger includes a shaft with a plunger grip at one end of the shaft and a nozzle assembly positioned on the shaft opposite the plunger grip. The nozzle assembly includes a dispensing port which extends through an elongated slot in the wall of the razor body.

Abstract: An improvement in the use of clumping, scoopable litter to sorb and remove the urine deposited in litter receptacles by utilizing as the litter a natural product which has been modified to render it cohesive when wetted with urine. The modified natural product has excellent cohesion, is biodegradable, and is completely non-dusting. The modified natural product is a farinaceous material having a bulk density in the range from about 500 kg/m.sup.3 to about 900 kg/m.sup.3, a reducing sugar content from about 0.5% to about 4.0%, and a cold water solubles content from about 40% to about 90%. The preferred particle size of the modified natural product is such that at least 75% of the particles thereof are from about 250 microns to about 2000 microns.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process of manufacturing a lightweight particulate cementitious composition particularly adapted to the sorption of liquids comprising adding to a foamed cement slurry a particle forming agent, and aging the treated foamed slurry for a period of time sufficient for the particles to form and harden for subsequent handling. The bulk density, particle size distribution, and concentration of the agent are selected such that the cementitious composition has the desired density and such that at least 65% of the particles obtained after aging have the desired particle size.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of increasing the sorption capacity of smectite clays which exhibit osmotic swelling such as montmorillonite clays having predominately sodium as the exchangeable cation. The invention further provides a clumping cat litter having excellent cohesiveness comprising certain mixtures of a clay which exhibits osmotic swelling, a cellulosic material, and optionally a density controlling material, the clay, the cellulose material, and the density controlling material having certain particle size distributions, and the cat litter having a bulk density in the range from about 0.54 to about 0.96 g/cc and a sorption capacity greater than about 1.0 cc/g, wherein the concentration of the smectite clay is such that upon wetting the litter the cohesiveness of the lump of wetted litter is sufficient to allow its removal from a litter box, and wherein the concentration of the smectite clay is insufficient to prevent the lump of wetted litter from disintegrating in water over time.

Abstract: The invention provides well working compositions containing a particulate additive to decrease the seepage loss of the fluid to fluid permeable formations contacted by the compositions.

Abstract: The invention provides well working fluid compositions containing cotton burrs ground to certain particle size ranges to decrease the seepage loss of the fluid to fluid permeable formations contacted by the compositions. Also provided is a seepage loss additive comprising the ground cotton burrs in combination with one or more of ground oat hulls, ground corn cobs, hydrophobic organophilic water wettable cotton, ground citrus pulp, ground peanut shells, ground rice hulls, and ground nut shells.

Abstract: The invention provides well working fluid compositions containing oat hulls ground to certain particle size ranges to decrease the seepage loss of the fluid to fluid permeable formations contacted by the compositions. Also provided is a seepage loss additive comprising the ground oat hulls in combination with one or more of ground corn cobs, hydrophobic organophilic water wettable cotton, ground citrus pulp, and ground cotton burrs.

Abstract: The invention provides well working fluid compositions containing oat hulls ground to certain particle size ranges to decrease the seepage loss of the fluid to fluid permeable formations contacted by the compositions. Also provided is a seepage loss additive comprising the ground oat hulls in combination with one or more of ground corn cobs, hydrophobic organophilic water wettable cotton, ground citrus pulp, and ground cotton burrs.

Abstract: Organophilic clays which are effective fluid loss control additives for oil base well-working fluids are prepared from a swelling smectite clay and one or more phosphatides. Preferred phosphatides are phosphoglycerides obtained from vegetable oils, most preferably commercial lecithin such as soybean lecithin. The organophilic clays may also contain quaternary ammonium compounds.

Abstract: Tall oil pitch is used as casing fillers in the interstitial spaced between a pipeline and a surrounding casing pipe. The tall oil pitch can be used per se or can be modified by: increasing its specific gravity above 1.0; increasing its pour point or dropping point; increasing its viscosity; decreasing its pumpability temperature. The tall oil pitch is pumped into the interstitial space between the pipeline and the casing pipe.

Abstract: Organophilic clays which are effective fluid loss control additives for oil base well-working fluids are prepared from a swelling smectite clay and one or more phosphatides. Preferred phosphatides are phosphoglycerides obtained from vegetable oils, most preferably commercial lecithin such as soybean lecithin. The organophilic clays may also contain quaternary ammonium compounds.

Abstract: The invention provides novel humic acid derivatives obtained by reacting humic acid-containing materials with a noval amide mixture comprising a polyamide and an amido-amine containing one free amino group per molecule. The novel amide mixture is obtained by reacting under amidation conditions a fatty acid containing 16 to 30 carbon atoms with an amine mixture comprising aminoethylethanolamine (AEEA) and one or more polyethylenepolyamines (PEPA) containing 3 or more amino groups per molecule, wherein the weight ratio of AEEA/PEPA is in the range from about 0.25/1 to about 3/1, and wherein the amount of fatty acid is less than the amount required to amidate all of the amino groups and greater than the amount required to amidate all but one amino group per molecule.