Abstract: Methods for breaking polymer-containing treatment fluids for use in subterranean formations are provided. In one or more embodiments, the methods include providing a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a polymer, wherein the treatment fluid was recovered from at least a portion of a subterranean formation located at a wellsite; transporting the treatment fluid from the wellsite to an off-site location; and applying a cavitation technique to at least a portion of the treatment fluid at the off-site location.

Abstract: Methods for reducing zinc in fluids for use in subterranean formations are provided. In one or more embodiments, the methods include providing a fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and zinc; and adding a precipitant comprising polyvinylpyrrolidone or any derivative thereof to the fluid to form a precipitate with at least a portion of the zinc.

Abstract: Methods for removing polymers from treatment fluids for use in subterranean formations are provided. In one or more embodiments, the methods include providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a polymer comprising polyvinylpyrrolidone or a derivative thereof; and adding a precipitant to the treatment fluid to form a precipitate with at least a portion of the polymer.

Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure generally relate to a detection of interface mixing between downhole materials within a wellbore. A system comprises a sensor configured to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The sensor is in fluid communication with a downhole material recovered from a wellbore, wherein the sensor is fluidly coupled to a circulatory system for the wellbore. The system also includes a system controller in communication with the sensor. The system controller is configured to indicate concentrations of the VOCs.

Abstract: Solid shale inhibitor additives and methods of using such additives to, for example, inhibit shale are provided. In some embodiments, such methods include providing an aqueous treatment fluid that includes an aqueous base fluid and a solid shale inhibitor additive, the solid shale inhibitor additive including carrier particles and a treatment composition that includes a shale inhibitor; and introducing the treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation.

Abstract: A method of drilling may include mixing, at the surface, a base fluid, a polyvalent cation reactive polymer, and a delayed source of polyvalent cation so as to form a treatment fluid; placing the treatment fluid in a subterranean formation to form a solid plug including the polyvalent cation reactive polymer crosslinked with the polyvalent cation; contacting the solid plug with a breaker so as to transform the solid plug into a reclaimed treatment fluid; and removing the reclaimed treatment fluid. A system for drilling may include a treatment fluid, at the surface, including a polyvalent cation reactive polymer, and a delayed source of a polyvalent cation, where the treatment fluid is settable in the formation to form a solid plug including the polyvalent cation reactive polymer and the polyvalent cation; and a breaker, separate from the treatment fluid at the surface, capable of liquefying the solid plug.

Abstract: A subterranean product extraction composition may include a borehole fluid that may include a thiamine based shale inhibitor active to inhibit reactivity of a formation shale to a base fluid of a borehole fluid. A method of extracting a subterranean product via a borehole may include providing a borehole fluid containing a thiamine-based shale inhibitor and inhibiting reactivity of a formation shale contacted with the borehole fluid. A system for extracting a subterranean product via a borehole may include a tubular having an end in proximity to a formation shale and in fluid communication with a container dispensing a borehole fluid containing a thiamine-based shale inhibitor. The thiamine-based shale inhibitor is inert to the borehole fluid and has superior activity as compared to potassium chloride to inhibit shale reactivity. The borehole fluid may be a drilling fluid. The base fluid may be water.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for the use of thermally responsive lost circulation materials in subterranean formations are provided. In one embodiment, the methods include introducing a treatment fluid including a base fluid and a thermally responsive lost circulation material including a thermally responsive hydrogel that includes at least one thermoresponsive polymer into a wellbore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation including a loss zone; allowing the thermally responsive lost circulation material to reach a thickening transition temperature; and allowing the treatment fluid to at least partially set in the subterranean formation.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for improving the rheological properties of fluids including sepiolite are provided. In one or more embodiments, the compositions comprise a clay selected from the group consisting of: sepiolite, palygorskite, attapulgite, and a combination thereof; and an extender comprising sodium polyacrylate, wherein the extender is present in an amount from about 0.01 lbs/ton of the clay to about 10 lbs/ton of the clay. In one or more embodiments, the methods comprise introducing a treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation, wherein the treatment fluid comprises an aqueous base fluid, a clay selected from the group consisting of: sepiolite, palygorskite, attapulgite, and a combination thereof, and an extender comprising sodium polyacrylate.

Abstract: The permeability of barrier layers formed from sodium bentonite clay may be significantly and unpredictably impacted upon contacting various ionic substances. Modifying agents may be admixed with sodium bentonite clay to lessen the impacts resulting from its contact with an ionic substance. Suitable modifying agents may comprise an anionic substance selected from the group consisting of a diutan, a polymer containing a 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid monomer, any salt thereof, and any combination thereof. Methods for forming a barrier layer may comprise: providing a barrier material comprising sodium bentonite clay and a modifying agent admixed with the sodium bentonite clay, the modifying agent comprising an anionic substance selected from the group consisting of a diutan, a polymer containing a 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid monomer, any salt thereof, and any combination thereof; and forming a barrier layer comprising the barrier material.

Abstract: A method of detecting an amine-based shale inhibitor in a wellbore servicing fluid (WSF) comprising contacting an aliquot of the WSF with an amine detector compound to form a detection solution; wherein the WSF comprises the amine-based shale inhibitor; and wherein the detection solution is characterized by at least one absorption peak wavelength in the range of from about 380 nm to about 760 nm; detecting an absorption intensity for the detection solution at a wavelength within about +20% of the at least one absorption peak wavelength; comparing the absorption intensity of the detection solution at the wavelength within about +20% of the at least one absorption peak wavelength with a target absorption intensity of the amine-based shale inhibitor to determine the amount of amine-based shale inhibitor in the WSF; and comparing the amount of amine-based shale inhibitor in the WSF with a target amount of the amine-based shale inhibitor.

Abstract: Shale inhibiting additives for subterranean drilling and/or treatment fluids that include water-soluble polymers are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include: providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a shale inhibiting additive comprising a water-soluble polymer; introducing the treatment fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation to contact at least a portion of the subterranean formation that comprises shale; and allowing the shale inhibiting additive to interact with the shale in the subterranean formation to at least partially inhibit the shale.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a machine learning query handling platform are described, whereby each computing node in a computer network is configured to implement a respective local prediction model that calculates an output based on input attributes passed through trained parameters of the local prediction model, whereby at least two of the computing nodes calculate different predicted outputs to the same input attributes. In an embodiment, the trained parameters of each local prediction model include a first set of parameters received from a remote server, a second set of parameters received from another interconnected computing node, and a third set of parameters based on data in a local memory. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: The presence of unmitigated metal ions in a drilling fluid can prevent acceptable rheological and fluid loss control performance from being realized during a drilling operation. Softening of a hard water source containing alkaline earth metal ions may allow the resultant treated water source to be used in formulating a drilling fluid with acceptable properties. Not all softening agents perform equivalently in this regard, and some softening agents may not be readily available. Methods for formulating a drilling fluid may comprise: providing a hard water source comprising one or more metal ions; introducing an alkali metal silicate into the hard water source to form a treated water source; and after forming the treated water source, adding a viscosifying agent to the treated water source to form a drilling fluid. The methods may further comprise drilling a borehole with the drilling fluid.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, the present invention provides amplification methods in which nucleotide tag(s) and, optionally, a barcode nucleotide sequence are added to target nucleotide sequences. In other embodiments, the present invention provides a microfluidic device that includes a plurality of first input lines and a plurality of second input lines. The microfluidic device also includes a plurality of sets of first chambers and a plurality of sets of second chambers. Each set of first chambers is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of first input lines. Each set of second chambers is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of second input lines. The microfluidic device further includes a plurality of first pump elements in fluid communication with a first portion of the plurality of second input lines and a plurality of second pump elements in fluid communication with a second portion of the plurality of second input lines.

Abstract: Methods for breaking polymer-containing treatment fluids for use in subterranean formations are provided. In one or more embodiments, the methods comprise providing a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a polymer, wherein the treatment fluid was used to treat at least a portion of a subterranean formation; and sonicating at least a portion of the treatment fluid to at least partially reduce the viscosity of the treatment fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus may comprise: a vessel, a fire-suppression composition disposed within the vessel, wherein the fire-suppression composition comprises a fibrous clay mineral and a propellant gas; and a valve disposed on an outlet of the vessel wherein the valve has at least an open position with a flow path between an interior of the vessel and an exterior of the vessel and a closed position wherein the flow path is blocked.

Abstract: Described herein are methods useful for incorporating one or more adaptors and/or nucleotide tag(s) and/or barcode nucleotide sequence(s) one, or typically more, target nucleotide sequences. In particular embodiments, nucleic acid fragments having adaptors, e.g., suitable for use in high-throughput DNA sequencing are generated. In other embodiments, information about a reaction mixture is encoded into a reaction product. Also described herein are methods and kits useful for amplifying one or more target nucleic acids in preparation for applications such as bidirectional nucleic acid sequencing. In particular embodiments, methods of the invention entail additionally carrying out bidirectional DNA sequencing. Also described herein are methods for encoding and detecting and/or quantifying alleles by primer extension.

Abstract: A device configured to couple to a wheel assembly of a mobile device is provided. The device includes a first side portion configured to couple to a first lateral side of the wheel assembly. The device also includes a second side portion configured to couple to a second lateral side of the wheel assembly opposite the first lateral side, wherein the first and second side portions are compliant mechanisms configured to both move a movable obstacle out of a path of the mobile device and to retract in response to a force exerted on the first and second side portions by a fixed obstacle disposed along the path.

Abstract: Methods of circulating a drilling fluid while drilling a shallow wellbore that is highly deviated or horizontal. The drilling fluid comprises an aqueous base fluid, iota carrageenan, partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, and a divalent cation selected from the group consisting of a calcium ion, a magnesium ion, and any combination thereof. The shallow wellbore that is highly deviated or horizontal is no greater than about 610 meters below an earth surface, and in a range of about 55° to about 125° from a vertical inclination.