Abstract: Improved gas foam flooding surfactants and gas foam-forming mixtures wherein the surfactants are enriched in olefin disulfonate. The surfactants may be used in either a gas drive or a gas soak process. Use of the disulfonate-enriched gas foam surfactants and mixtures in a gas flooding operation is also described.

Abstract: An improved hydrocarbon gelling agent is disclosed comprising the reaction product of (1) a polyphosphate intermediate produced by reacting triethyl phosphate and phosphorous pentoxide and (2) a mixed alcohol having a substantial hexanol component, together with methods of making and using such gelling agent.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing a titania sol which comprises an aqueous dispersion of finely-divided titania dispersed therein and has a neutral pH range. The process comprises peptizing hydrous titanium oxides with a monobasic acid or salt thereof to obtain an acidic titania sol and removing anions from the acidic titania sol.

Abstract: A method of increasing the viscosity of CO.sub.2 at least three-fold by adding (1) a viscosifying amount of a polymer having a Minimum Solubility Parameter of 6.85 or less and a plurality of electron donor atoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, and S, and (2) a sufficient amount of a cosolvent to form a one-phase solution, said cosolvent being capable of (a) dissolving at least 2% by weight of CO.sub.2 at 25.degree. C. and 900 psig, and (b) forming a one-phase mixture with the polymer when the mixture contains 10 weight percent cosolvent at ambient temperature and a pressure sufficient to maintain the cosolvent in the liquid phase. New compositions containing CO.sub.2, the defined polymer and cosolvent are also claimed as is a method for recovering oil from underground formations using a viscosified CO.sub.2.

Abstract: The composition of matter and application thereof in the present invention relates to the application of a synthetic hydrocarbon compound, a polyalphaolefin liquid, blended in various concentrations with chemical oil and water emulsifiers, thinners and oil and water surface tension reducers, the concentration of polyalphaolefin liquid to that of the remaining portion of the blend being no less than 5%; blending the polyalphaolefin liquid and the emulsifiers in a blending tank containing water base drilling mud; circulating the blend of polyalphaolefin liquid and emulsifier with the water base drilling mud down hole, so that the blend of polyalphaolefin liquid emulsifier and water base drilling mud lubricates the drill string or reduces the differential pressure between the wall of the borehole and the drill string so that the drill string is free to rotate and drilling may be undertaken with less drag or torque.

Abstract: Subterranean formations are treated with acid, by a method comprising the steps of: (1) forming an acidizing composition by mixing an aqueous acid component with at least one water-soluble organosilicon compound; and (2) injecting the composition into the formation. Suitable organosilicon compounds include water-soluble organosilanes and organosilanes which hydrolyze to form water-soluble silanols. By using the organosilicon compound, movement of formation fine particles is inhibited and swelling of clays by aqueous fluids is reduced, thus tending to maintain formation permeability.

Abstract: Method of reducing the pour-point and improving the flowability of petroleum oil or a fraction thereof by adding thereto a flowability-improving quantity of at least one copolymer of (a) an acrylic acid ester, a methacrylic acid ester, or a mixture of an acrylic acid ester and a methacrylic acid ester, and (b) not more than 20% by weight, based on the weight of the copolymer, of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, or a mixture of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, and wherein said esters in component (a) are esters of a C.sub.16 or higher alcohol or an alcohol mixture wherein at least 75% by weight thereof is one or more alcohols containing at least 16 carbon atoms; and the compositions resulting therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermostable polymer comprisinga) 16 to 67 mole % of structural components of the formula: ##STR1## b) 5 to 42 mole % of structural components of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, independently of one another, are hydrogen atoms or methyl radicals, as well as c) 16 to 46 mole % of structural components of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical. The present invention also provides a process for the production of these polymers which, because of their high temperature stability, are outstandingly useful as retention agents for aqueous systems and as fluid loss additives.

Abstract: Water absorbent polymers provided, in the form of a thixotropic hydrocarbon gel, demonstrate controlled water absorption. This property enables improved usage of such polymers in the reduction of the loss of circulation fluid or as a viscous sweep in the drilling of subterranean wells.

Abstract: A polymer for use as a deflocculant in drilling muds comprising at least one unsaturated carboxylic acid or its anhydride or salt, at least one unsaturated sulfonic acid or its salt, at least one unsaturated cationic-containing monomer, and optionally, one or more unsaturated non-ionic monomer and/or one mono or di phosphate ester of an unsaturated alcohol.

Abstract: A water-based drilling mud additive comprising a pre-blended combination of about 2 parts of high softening point uintaite, about 1 part of a lower softening point uintaite, about 1 part of causticized lignite, and a strongly lipophilic, non-ionic surfactant is disclosed. This composition decreases shale sloughing and borehole instability during drilling of wells.

Abstract: Spacer fluids providing an effective buffer between drilling fluids and cement slurries during well completion. The spacer fluids comprise a sulfonated styrene copolymer dispersant and one or more additional components such as surfactants, viscosifiers and weighting materials to form a rheologically compatible fluid between the drilling fluid and the cement slurry.

Abstract: A composition of matter is disclosed which includes a major proportion of an organic di- or polysulfide, a catalytic amount of an amine/mercaptan mixture, and a stabilizing component in an amount sufficient to inhibit loss of catalytic activity in storage.

Abstract: A method is described whereby quick-kill and maintenance antimicrobials are used to control biofouling of oil production water injection systems.

Abstract: An invert emulsion drilling fluid comprised of a liquid oleaginous medium, water, an emulsifier and a gellant comprised of sulfonated ethylene/propylene/5-phenyl-2-norbornene terpolymer and an organophilic clay.

Abstract: A process which comprises (A) combining (i) glycerol, erythritol, arabitol, xylitol, sorbitol, dulcitol, mannitol, inositol, a monosaccharide, or a disaccharide, (ii) water and (iii) lactic acid, glycolic acid, malic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, saccharic acid, gluconic acid, glyceric acid or mandelic acid to provide an aqueous solution of the polyol and the .alpha.-hydroxy carboxylic acid, and (B) then at an alkaline pH of 10 or less reacting the solution with a tetravalent titanium compound of an inorganic acid at an .alpha.-hydroxy carboxylic acid:titanium mol ratio between about 0.5:1 and about 4:1 and a polyol:titanium mol ratio between about 0.25:1 and about 2:1.

Abstract: A process for enriching a drive gas with intermediate hydrocarbon compounds to enhance the ability of the gas to mobilize hydrocarbons within a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation. The drive gas is contacted with oil containing intermediate hydrocarbons under conditions such that the gas strips intermediate hydrocarbons from the oil. The drive gas may be further enriched upon contacting the gas with stripped oil which has been enriched with intermediate hydrocarbons under conditions such that the gas strips intermediate hydrocarbons from the enriched stripped oil.

Abstract: This invention concerns methods for improving the mobility and pipeline transport of a viscous crude oil and the productivity of viscous crude oil producing wells by forming an oil-in-water emulsion with said oil and from 20 to 80% by weight of water in the presence of 100 to 1500 parts by weight of a surfactant blend per million parts by weight of said emulsion, said blend comprising from 15 to 85 parts by weight of an anionic or amphoteric surfactant (A) selected from those of the formula Ar(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n OSO.sub.3 H, ##STR1## a sodium and ammonium salt thereof, and from 85 to 15 parts by weight of a nonionic surfactant selected from (B) of the formulae Ar(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.p OH or (C) of the formula ##STR2## the latter having an HLB value of from 10 to 20; where Ar is octylphenyl or nonylphenyl,n is 2 to 10,p is 10 to 100,a is 10 to 40, b is 15 to 55, c is 10 to 40, R.sup.1 is C.sub.8 to C.sub.18 alkyl and R.sup.2 is C.sub.12 to C.sub.18 alkyl; and said emulsion.

Abstract: A viscosifier for aqueous inorganic acid solutions, viscosified acid fluids, and a method of treating hydro-carbon-producing rock formations with viscosified acid solution are provided. The viscosified acid solutions contain an inorganic acid, water, and an effective amount of a viscosifier comprised of ethoxylated fatty amines and the betaine inner salt of ethoxylated fatty amines, and preferably also an alcohol having an alkyne radical and an alkyl pyridine quaternary ammonium salt.

Abstract: An improved oil-base drilling fluid comprising a continuous oil phase and a dispersed internal phase using aqueous non-halide salt solutions is described. Preferably, the non-halide salt is potassium acetate, calcium acetate, sodium proprionate or combinations thereof, however, citrate, tartrate, or gluconate salts may also be used. Emulsifiers, wetting agents, and other chemicals may be added in varying concentrations to achieve desired characteristics for the drilling fluid. The composition has suitable rheological properties, stability, and hole cleaning abilities for use as a drilling fluid; and it is more compatible with environmentally acceptable land disposal methods than conventional oil-base drilling fluids used in land drilling applications.