Abstract: A water based solution having a controllable gel time is disclosed. The solution has predetermined ratios of a water soluble silicate solution having at least one alkali metal, a predetermined ratio of a water dispersible polymer, and a predetermined ratio of a water soluble initiator containing a reactive carbonyl compound.

Abstract: A swellable polymer gel composition for use in subterranean formations. The composition comprises water, a water soluble polymer, a water soluble crosslinking system and a swelling agent. The crosslinking system may be either a redox system or a chelating system. The amounts of the polymer and the crosslinking system are effective to form a substantially uniformly reacted tri-dimensional gel structure. To the gel solution, is added a swelling agent in an amount sufficient to increase the volume of the gel a predetermined percentage. The swelling agent may be a natural or a synthetic agent. A strengthening agent may be added to increase the gel strength of the composition. The composition has numerous uses and is particularly useful in oil industry applications such as plugging wells, sealing casing leaks and reducing water production from water-bearing hydrocarbon formations.

Abstract: A water based solution having a controllable gel time is disclosed. The solution has predetermined ratios of a water soluble silicate solution having at least one alkali metal, a predetermined ratio of a water dispersible polymer, and a predetermined ratio of a water soluble initiator containing a reactive carbonyl compound.

Abstract: A swellable polymer gel composition for use in subterranean formations. The composition comprises water, a water soluble polymer, a water soluble crosslinking system and a swelling agent. The crosslinking system may be either a redox system or a chelating system. The amounts of the polymer and the crosslinking system are effective to form a substantially uniformly reacted tri-dimensional gel structure. To the gel solution, is added a swelling agent in an amount sufficient to increase the volume of the gel a predetermined percentage. The swelling agent may be a natural or a synthetic agent. A strengthening agent may be added to increase the gel strength of the composition. The composition has numerous uses and is particularly useful in oil industry applications such as plugging wells, sealing casing leaks and reducing water production from water-bearing hydrocarbon formations.

Abstract: Excessive water production from a producing gas well is substantially reduced by the injection of a hydrocarbon-diluted water-in-oil emulsion comprising a viscosifying polymer such as polyacrylamide, the injected emulsified polymer swelling on contact with connate water in the subsurface gas producing formation to restrict transfer of water therethrough toward the producing gas well.

Abstract: Gelled acidic compositions suitable for either matrix-acidizing or fracture-acidizing of subterranean formations, and methods of using said compositions, are provided. Said compositions comprise water, a water-dispersible polymer of acrylamide, an acid, a water-soluble compound of a polyvalent metal wherein the metal can be reduced to a lower polyvalent valence state and cause gelation of the water containing said polymer and said acid, and a reducing agent capable of reducing said metal and causing said gelation.

Abstract: Gelled acidic compositions suitable for either matrix-acidizing or fracture-acidizing of subterranean formations, and methods of using said compositions in acidizing operation, are provided. Said compositions comprise water, a water-soluble cellulose ether, an acid, a water-soluble compound of a polyvalent metal wherein the metal can be reduced to a lower polyvalent valence state and cause gelation of the water containing said cellulose ether and said acid, and a reducing agent capable of reducing said metal and causing said gelation.

Abstract: Gelled acidic compositions suitable for either matrix-acidizing or fracture-acidizing of subterranean formations, and methods of using said compositions in acidizing operations, are provided. Said compositions comprise water, a water-dispersible biopolysaccharide, an acid, a water-soluble compound of a polyvalent metal wherein the metal can be reduced to a lower polyvalent valence state and cause gelation of the water containing said biopolysaccharide and said acid, and a reducing agent capable of reducing said metal and causing said gelation.

Abstract: A method for reducing the quantity of water produced from a well bore-penetrated subterranean formation and for increasing the production rate of fluid hydrocarbons produced from said formation. Said method comprises injecting into said formation an aqueous solution of a partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, and contacting said polyacrylamide in situ with an aqueous solution containing divalent and/or trivalent metal cations.

Abstract: Aqueous gelable compositions comprising water, a polymer, a polyvalent metal compound wherein the metal can be reduced to a lower polyvalent valence state, a reducing agent, and a complexing agent for complexing with newly reduced ions of said metal and increasing the gelation time of said compositions; and methods of preparing said compositions.

Abstract: Samples of oil from a formation to be flooded are equilibrated with a series of surfactant systems comprising a petroleum sulfonate surfactant, a cosurfactant having limited solubility in water and brine. By using sulfonates having an equivalent weight within the range of 375 to 500 and using cosurfactants having a solubility in water varying from 0.5 to 20 grams per 100 grams of water, some of the mixtures will partition into two or more phases while others will not. Then a separate sulfonate-cosurfactant-brine system is made up corresponding to one of those which partitions and the system is injected into the reservoir where on contact with the oil it forms a multiphase bank.

Abstract: Gelled acidic compositions suitable for either matrix acidizing or fracture-acidizing of subterranean formations, and methods of using said compositions in acidizing operations, are provided. Said compositions comprise water, a water-dispersible biopolysaccharide, an acid, a water soluble compound of a polyvalent metal wherein the metal can be reduced to a lower polyvalent valence state and cause gelation of the water containing said biopolysaccharide and said acid, and a reducing agent capable of reducing said metal and causing said gelation.

Abstract: Gelled acidic compositions suitable for either matrix acidizing or fracture-acidizing of subterranean formations, and methods of using said compositions in acidizing operations, are provided. Said compositions comprise water, a water-soluble cellulose ether, an acid, a water soluble compound of a polyvalent metal wherein the metal can be reduced to a lower polyvalent valence state and cause gelation of the water containing said cellulose ether and said acid, and a reducing agent capable of reducing said metal and causing said gelation.

Abstract: Gelled acidic compositions suitable for either matrix acidizing or fracture-acidizing of subterranean formations, and methods of using said compositions, are provided. Said compositions comprise water, a water-dispersible polymer of acrylamide, an acid, a water soluble compound of a polyvalent metal wherein the metal can be reduced to a lower polyvalent valence state and cause gelation of the water containing said polymer and said acid, and a reducing agent capable of reducing said metal and causing said gelation.

Abstract: Improvements in secondary recovery operations for the recovery of oil, and other oil field operations wherein subterranean formations are contacted with a fluid medium, are accomplished through the use of aqueous mediums comprising new aqueous gels prepared from water and biopolysaccharides.

Abstract: Improvements in secondary recovery operations for the recovery of oil, and improvements in well-drilling operations, are accomplished through the use of aqueous gels exhibiting high gel strength prepared from water and a mixture of (a) at least one cellulose ether, e.g., carboxymethyl cellulose, and (b) at least one polyacrylamide.

Abstract: A composition of matter comprising water, a polymer capable of being crosslinked by polyvalent metal cations, a reducible species containing said polyvalent metal in a higher oxidation state, and a reducing agent selected from among KI, MnCl.sub.2, Mn(NO.sub.3).sub.2, and K.sub.4 Fe(CN).sub.6 which composition is capable of forming a gel by crosslinking is provided. A method is also provided for in situ gel formation using this crosslinking composition. In one of its embodiments a method is provided for increasing the rate of gel formation by the addition of H+ ion.

Abstract: Improvements in secondary recovery operations for the recovery of oil, and improvements in well drilling operations, are accomplished through the use of aqueous gels exhibiting high gel strength prepared from water and a mixture of (a) at least one cellulose ether, e.g., carboxymethyl cellulose, and (b) at least one polyacrylamide.

Abstract: Aqueous gels suitable for plugging fractures in subterranean formations are produced by (1) thickening water by incorporating therein a thickening amount of a water-soluble cellulose ether (e.g.,CMC), (2) incorporating a water-soluble compound of a polyvalent metal (e.g., sodium or potassium dichromate) wherein the valence state of the metal therein is capable of being reduced to a lower polyvalent valence state, in an amount sufficient to cause gelation when the valence of at least a portion of said metal is reduced to said lower valence state, (3) incorporating a water-soluble reducing agent (e.g., a sulfite, hydrosulfite, metabisulfite or thiosulfate of sodium or potassium, sodium sulfide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof) in an amount effective to reduce at least a portion of said metal to said lower valence state and cause gelation, and (4) incorporating a finely divided solid (e.g., diatomaceous earth) in an amount sufficient to cause an increase in gel strength.

Abstract: Improvements in secondary recovery operations for the recovery of oil, and improvements in well drilling operations, are accomplished through the use of aqueous mediums comprising aqueous gels prepared from water and certain polymers such as polyacrylamides and related polymers.