Abstract: Some sensitive metal surfaces are often unable to be contacted effectively with hydrofluoric acid or acidic fluoride ions due to significant corrosion issues that may occur. Metal surfaces comprising titanium or a titanium alloy represent but one example of sensitive metal surfaces having this issue. Corrosion inhibitor compositions comprising boric acid and other boron-containing compounds may at least partially suppress corrosion of titanium and titanium alloy surfaces. Methods for suppressing corrosion may comprise: contacting a metal surface comprising titanium or a titanium alloy with a corrosion inhibitor composition comprising a boron-containing compound; and interacting the metal surface with a fluid phase comprising hydrofluoric acid or acidic fluoride ions.

Abstract: A method of depleting an ion from a water source is provided. The method is applicable to water used in oil recovery, water used in natural gas recovery, the treatment of water wells, and for water used in hydraulic fluids for fracturing processes, such as water to be used in proppants or fracking fluids. The method involves depleting an ion from a water source, said method comprising contacting a water source with a superparamagnetic or paramagnetic nanoparticle; complexing the ion with the particle; and removing the ion-particle complex by applying a magnetic field so as to provide a water source with depleted ion content. The depleted water can then be pumped into one or more connecting injection well(s) in an oil field pushing the crude oil towards one or more production well(s) thereby allowing for enhanced oil recovery from the production wells.

Abstract: Methods are provided for reducing friction during fracturing of a subterranean formation. In some embodiments, a method includes introducing micronized dry water soluble polymer (DWSP) particles into a fracturing liquid to form a mixture; and pumping the mixture into a subterranean formation to fracture the subterranean formation, the micronized DWSP particles include a DWSP, DWSP is selected from the group consisting of dry anionic, dry cationic, dry nonionic water soluble polymer, and mixtures thereof, mean particle size of the micronized DWSP particles ranges from about 115 to about 225 microns.

Abstract: A method of modifying an alteration zone of a formation near a wellbore using a non-Newtonian polymeric composition created from a reaction of a non-Newtonian combination comprises the steps of mixing an anhydrous tetraborate and a fluid to create a crosslinker solution, mixing a crosslinkable polyvinyl alcohol and water to create a polymer solution, where the crosslinker solution and the polymer solution form the non-Newtonian combination, pumping the non-Newtonian combination to a reaction zone in the wellbore, where pumping the non-Newtonian combination is configured to induce mixing of the polymer solution and the crosslinker solution, allowing the non-Newtonian combination to react to form the non-Newtonian polymeric composition, allowing the non-Newtonian polymeric composition to migrate to the alteration zone, where the non-Newtonian polymeric composition migrates due to gravity, and allowing the non-Newtonian polymeric composition to interact with the alteration zone to modify the alteration zone.

Abstract: A method of fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well comprises: forming a fracturing composition comprising a carrier fluid; and a superabsorbent polymer component comprising one or more of the following: a first composite of a proppant and a first superabsorbent polymer in an unhydrated form, the first superabsorbent polymer being at least partially embedded in a void area of the proppant; a coated superabsorbent polymer; a superabsorbent material having a three-dimensional network; or a second composite of a second superabsorbent polymer and a slow-release breaker; and pumping the hydraulic fracturing composition into the subterranean formation to create or enlarge a fracture.

Abstract: Oil recovery processes from carbonate or sandstone reservoirs. With a carbonate reservoir, the reservoir is initially flooded with a fluid such as sea water. Then the same fluid containing a plurality of citric acid-filled microcapsules is injected into the reservoir. These microcapsules are left to incubate in the reservoir, which will then infiltrate the rock formations, degrade by heat and release the encapsulated citric acid. The released citric acid reacts with the carbonate rocks to produce CO2 in situ, which causes oil trapped in the rock formations to swell, reduce in viscosity and move towards to a nearby production well. For a sandstone reservoir, calcium carbonate can be also encapsulated with the citric acid for CO2 generation at the reservoir.

Abstract: A fluid comprising: an aqueous phase; a cellulose derivative dispersed or dissolved in the aqueous phase; a guar derivative dispersed or dissolved in the aqueous phase; a titanium crosslinker dispersed or dissolved in the aqueous phase; and a zirconium crosslinker dispersed or dissolved in the aqueous phase. A method of treating a well or a well system can include: (A) forming a treatment fluid according to the disclosure; and (B) introducing the treatment fluid into a treatment zone of a well.

Abstract: A method and system for inducing secondary orthogonal fractures in an underground formation by introducing a proppant carrying fluid into a hydraulic fracture in an underground formation at high pressure is provided. The pressure of the proppant carrying fluid is lowered at a rate allowing the fluid to exit the formation while the proppant remains in place within the fractures. The pressure of the fluid is then rapidly reduced, creating fractures orthogonal to the surface of existing fractures by pushing remained proppant against hydraulic fractures walls. The orthogonal fractures can be opened with high pressure fluid and propped. In this way, the portion of the formation in fluid flow communication with the wellbore is increased.

Abstract: Methods for stabilizing a formation containing water sensitive materials include forming a composition including at least one amido-amine based cationic gemini surfactant and treating the water sensitive materials with an effective amount of the composition.

Abstract: There is described a chemical injection system for a natural gas well. An instrument monitors the production of gas from the well and the flow of chemicals injected into the well. The instrument controls the on and off time of a chemical injection pump that is attached to a chemical injection tank. The control is based for certain chemicals such as a surfactant on the gas flow rate in the production piping. The user of the system inserts in the instrument the setpoints associated with the well's flow rate. These setpoints determine for a given flow rate the on time for the chemical injection pump. Other chemicals can also be injected into the well using the system and the injection for those chemicals may be based on other criteria such as temperature, water rate, oil rate or pipeline flow rate.

Abstract: The invention relates to the decommissioning of hydrocarbon wells. It concerns the artificial promoting or inducing of creep in the overburden formation 3 surrounding an oil well 1, so that the formation rock 3 encroaches against the casing 5 to form a seal. This avoids the need to plug the annulus between the casing 5 and formation 3 with cement. The overburden may be caused to creep by reducing the pressure in the annulus, by applying heat to the overburden rock or by stressing the rock repeatedly to cause fatigue in the rock 3.

Abstract: Some embodiments described herein provide a method comprising method comprising providing an oil-in-water emulsified spacer fluid comprising a binary surfactant mixture, solvent non-aqueous base fluid, and an aqueous base fluid, wherein the binary surfactant mixture comprises a surfactant and an amphiphilic co-surfactant, wherein the surfactant is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.5% to about 30% by weight of the oil-in-water emulsified spacer fluid and wherein the amphiphilic co-surfactant is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.5% to about 30% by weight of the oil-in-water emulsified spacer fluid, and introducing the oil-in-water emulsified spacer fluid into a subterranean formation comprising a residual non-aqueous fluid therein, wherein the binary surfactant mixture in the oil-in-water emulsified spacer fluid emulsifies at least a portion of the residual non-aqueous fluid.

Abstract: A water-based drilling mud for use in cementing operations includes water, LASSENITE® pozzolan-based additive, a heavy-weight additive, a viscosifier, a dispersant and at least one of a set activator, a fluid loss control additive and a shale stabilizer. A method of using the same includes allowing a cement composition to mix with the water-based drilling mud and allowing the mixture of the cement composition and the water-based drilling mud to set.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for use for hydraulic fracturing and creating high porosity propped fractures in portions of subterranean formations are provided. In one embodiment, the methods include introducing a fracturing fluid into the well bore at or above a pressure to create or enhance at least one fracture in the subterranean formation; providing a carrier fluid including reticulated materials, wherein the carrier fluid is substantially proppant free; providing a proppant slurry; and introducing the carrier fluid and the proppant slurry into the at least one fracture to form a plurality of proppant aggregates.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treatment of produced water form a steam assisted gravity drain operation are presented in which tight emulsions, total organic compounds, and solids are removed using a skim tanks that receives a multiphase mixture formed from a demulsifier and the produced water and that produces pre-treated water. The so formed pre-treated water is then subject to further total organic compounds reduction via combination with one or more oxidizing biocide to so form treated water that can be fed to a once through steam generator (OTSG) for re-injection into a formation.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for formulating treatment fluids that comprise a surfactant having reduced and delayed adsorption. In one embodiment, the method comprises: introducing a first treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a polyelectrolyte into a wellbore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation; contacting at least a portion of the subterranean formation with the polyelectrolyte; and introducing a second treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a surfactant into the wellbore penetrating at least the portion of the subterranean formation.

Abstract: Highly resilient carbon-based materials having a resiliency greater than about 120% at 10,000 psi may be useful as lost circulation materials (LCMs) for wellbore strengthening and lost circulation mitigation in downhole operations in subterranean formations with depleted zones. For example, a downhole method may include drilling at least a portion of a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation with at least one depleted zone having a plurality of fractures extending from the wellbore into the at least one depleted zone; circulating a treatment fluid through the wellbore, the treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a resilient carbon-based material having a resiliency greater than about 120% at 10,000 psi; contacting the at least one depleted zone with the resilient carbon-based material; and plugging at least some of the plurality of fractures in the at least one depleted zone with the resilient carbon-based material.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to proppants for the treatment of subterranean formations, and methods of using the same. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a proppant for treatment of a subterranean formation, wherein the proppant is polymeric and includes polyetherimide (PEI). Various embodiments also provide methods of using the polymeric proppant, including for deposition of proppants, stimulating production, fracturing, sand control, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the use of traceable metal-organic frameworks in subterranean formations are provided. In one embodiment, the methods comprise: introducing a fluid into a wellbore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation, the fluid comprising a base fluid and a solid particle comprising a metal-organic framework comprising at least one detectable component, wherein the metal-organic framework further comprises at least one metal ion and an organic ligand that is at least bidentate and that is bonded to the metal ion; and detecting one or more signals from the at least one detectable component.

Abstract: A method of modifying an alteration zone of a formation near a wellbore using a non-Newtonian polymeric composition created from a reaction of a non-Newtonian combination comprises the steps of mixing an anhydrous tetraborate and a fluid to create a crosslinker solution, mixing a crosslinkable polyvinyl alcohol and water to create a polymer solution, where the crosslinker solution and the polymer solution form the non-Newtonian combination, pumping the non-Newtonian combination to a reaction zone in the wellbore, where pumping the non-Newtonian combination is configured to induce mixing of the polymer solution and the crosslinker solution, allowing the non-Newtonian combination to react to form the non-Newtonian polymeric composition, allowing the non-Newtonian polymeric composition to migrate to the alteration zone, where the non-Newtonian polymeric composition migrates due to gravity, and allowing the non-Newtonian polymeric composition to interact with the alteration zone to modify the alteration zone.