Abstract: High viscosity fracturing fluids for fracturing a subterranean formulation are prepared by: (i) selecting recovered water; (ii) contacting said recovered water with a viscosifying agent, wherein said viscosifying agent is selected from fenugreek gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, guar gum and derivatives of the aforesaid; (iii) contacting said recovered water with one or more other additives for example with a cross-linking agent (A) for cross-linking said viscosifying agent, wherein contact of said recovered water with cross-linking agent (A) takes place when the pH of said recovered water is less than pH 6.5; (iv) adjusting the pH to pH 6.5-8.8.

Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well-bore, for example to facilitate fracturing of the formation, comprises the steps of: (i) selecting a treatment fluid comprising a diverting agent (A) in a flaked form, for example guar gum in a flaked form. (ii) introducing the treatment fluid into the subterranean formation via the well-bore to plug a region of the formation. Thereafter, the formation may be fractured or re-fractured.

Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well-bore, for example to facilitate fracturing of the formation, comprises the steps of: (i) selecting a treatment fluid comprising a diverting agent (A) in a flaked form, for example guar gum in a flaked form. (ii) introducing the treatment fluid into the subterranean formation via the well-bore to plug a region of the formation. Thereafter, the formation may be fractured or re-fractured.

Abstract: High viscosity fracturing fluids for fracturing a subterranean formulation are prepared by: (i) selecting recovered water; (ii) contacting said recovered water with a viscosifying agent, wherein said viscosifying agent is selected from fenugreek gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, guar gum and derivatives of the aforesaid; (iii) contacting said recovered water with one or more other additives for example with a cross-linking agent (A) for cross-linking said viscosifying agent, wherein contact of said recovered water with cross-linking agent (A) takes place when the pH of said recovered water is less than pH 6.5; (iv) adjusting the pH to pH 6.5-8.8.

Abstract: A fracturing fluid, gravel pack fluid and/or frac pack fluid containing particles such as proppants, gravel and/.or sand, may contain an effective amount of a nano-sized particulate additive to fixate or reduce fines migration, where the particulate additive is an alkaline earth metal oxide, alkaline earth metal hydroxide, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, post-transition metal hydroxides piezoelectric crystals and pyroelectric crystals. The nano-sized particulate additive is optionally bound to the particles with a coating agent such as an oil, alcohol, glycol, glycol ethers, ketones, terpenes, etc. The particle size of the magnesium oxide or other agent may be nanometer scale but may be a larger scale than nanometer but still relatively small, which scale may provide unique particle charges that help fixate the formation fines.

Abstract: Water production from a subterranean formation is inhibited or controlled by pumping a fluid containing coated particles through a wellbore into the formation. The particles have been previously coated with a relative permeability modifier (RPM). Upon contact with water, the RPM coating expands or swells and inhibits and controls the production of water. The RPM may be a water hydrolyzable polymer having a weight average molecular weight greater than 100,000. The particles may be conventional proppants or gravel.

Abstract: Water production from a subterranean formation is inhibited or controlled by pumping a fluid containing coated particles through a wellbore into the formation. The particles have been previously coated with a relative permeability modifier (RPM). Upon contact with water, the RPM coating expands or swells and inhibits and controls the production of water. The RPM may be a water hydrolyzable polymer having a weight average molecular weight greater than 100,000. The particles may be conventional proppants or gravel.

Abstract: Emulsified acids have been used to increase production rates of oil and gas in carbonate reservoirs through acid fracturing and matrix acidizing operations. An emulsifier is used to emulsify the aqueous acid with an oil, usually diesel. Very small particles, such as colloidal clay particles and/or nanoparticles increase the stability of the emulsified acids over an elevated temperature range.

Abstract: Emulsified acids have been used to increase production rates of oil and gas in carbonate reservoirs through acid fracturing and matrix acidizing operations. An emulsifier is used to emulsify the aqueous acid with an oil, usually diesel. Very small particles, such as colloidal clay particles and/or nanoparticles increase the stability of the emulsified acids over an elevated temperature range.

Abstract: A fracturing fluid, gravel pack fluid and/or frac pack fluid containing particles such as proppants, gravel and/.or sand, may contain an effective amount of a nano-sized particulate additive to fixate or reduce fines migration, where the particulate additive is an alkaline earth metal oxide, alkaline earth metal hydroxide, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, post-transition metal hydroxides piezoelectric crystals and pyroelectric crystals. The nano-sized particulate additive is optionally bound to the particles with a coating agent such as an oil, alcohol, glycol, glycol ethers, ketones, terpenes, etc. The particle size of the magnesium oxide or other agent may be nanometer scale but may be a larger scale than nanometer but still relatively small, which scale may provide unique particle charges that help fixate the formation fines.

Abstract: Emulsified acids have been used to increase production rates of oil and gas in carbonate reservoirs through acid fracturing and matrix acidizing operations. An emulsifier is used to emulsify the aqueous acid with an oil, usually diesel. Very small particles, such as colloidal clay particles and/or nanoparticles increase the stability of the emulsified acids over an elevated temperature range.

Abstract: A fracturing fluid, gravel pack fluid and/or frac pack fluid containing particles such as proppants, gravel and/.or sand, may contain an effective amount of a nano-sized particulate additive to fixate or reduce fines migration, where the particulate additive is an alkaline earth metal oxide, alkaline earth metal hydroxide, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, post-transition metal hydroxides piezoelectric crystals and pyroelectric crystals. The nano-sized particulate additive is optionally bound to the particles with a coating agent such as an oil, alcohol, glycol, glycol ethers, ketones, terpenes, etc. The particle size of the magnesium oxide or other agent may be nanometer scale but may be a larger scale than nanometer but still relatively small, which scale may provide unique particle charges that help fixate the formation fines.

Abstract: An aqueous, viscoelastic fluid gelled with a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) is stabilized and improved with an effective amount of an alkaline earth metal oxide alkaline earth metal hydroxide, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, and post-transition metal hydroxides. These fluids are more stable and have a reduced or no tendency to precipitate, particularly at elevated temperatures. The additives may reduce the amount of VES required to maintain a given viscosity. These stabilized, enhanced, aqueous viscoelastic fluids may be used as treatment fluids for subterranean hydrocarbon formations, such as in hydraulic fracturing. The particle size of the magnesium oxide or other agent may be nanometer scale, which scale may provide unique particle charges that use chemisorption, crosslinking and/or other chemistries to associate and stabilize the VES fluids.

Abstract: A treating fluid may contain an effective amount of a particulate additive to fixate or reduce fines migration, where the particulate additive is an alkaline earth metal oxide alkaline earth metal hydroxide, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, post-transition metal hydroxides piezoelectric crystals and pyroelectric crystals. The particle size of the magnesium oxide or other agent may be nanometer scale, which scale may provide unique particle charges that help fixate the formation fines. These treating fluids may be used as treatment fluids for subterranean hydrocarbon formations, such as in hydraulic fracturing, completion fluids, gravel packing fluids and fluid loss pills. The carrier fluid used in the treating fluid may be aqueous, brine, alcoholic or hydrocarbon-based.

Abstract: An aqueous, viscoelastic fluid gelled with a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) is stabilized and improved with an effective amount of an alkaline earth metal oxide, alkaline earth metal hydroxide, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides, transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, and post-transition metal hydroxides. These fluids are more stable and have a reduced or no tendency to precipitate, particularly at elevated temperatures. The additives may reduce the amount of VES required to maintain a given viscosity. These stabilized, enhanced, aqueous viscoelastic fluids may be used as treatment fluids for subterranean hydrocarbon formations, such as in hydraulic fracturing. The particle size of the magnesium oxide or other agent may be nanometer scale, which scale may provide unique particle charges that use chemisorption, crosslinking and/or other chemistries to associate and stabilize the VES fluids.

Abstract: Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) gelled aqueous fluids containing water, a VES, an internal breaker, a VES stabilizer, a fluid loss control agent and a viscosity enhancer are useful as treating fluids and particularly as fracturing fluids for subterranean formations. These VES-based fluids have faster and more complete clean-up than polymer-based fracturing fluids. The use of an internal breaker permits ready removal of the unique VES micelle based pseudo-filter cake with several advantages including reducing the typical VES loading and total fluid volume since more VES fluid stays within the fracture, generating a more optimum fracture geometry for enhanced reservoir productivity, and treating reservoirs with permeability above the present VES limit of approximately 400 md to at least 2000 md.

Abstract: Emulsified acids have been used to increase production rates of oil and gas in carbonate reservoirs through acid fracturing and matrix acidizing operations. An emulsifier is used to emulsify the aqueous acid with an oil, usually diesel. Very small particles, such as colloidal clay particles and/or nanoparticles increase the stability of the emulsified acids over an elevated temperature range.

Abstract: Compositions including relatively low reactivity acids, mixed with viscoelastic surfactants (VESs) and internal breakers may serve as drilling fluids to open underground hydrocarbon reservoirs with carbonate contents of 10 wt % or above. The drilling fluids have low viscosities in the drilling pipe. After the fluid flows out of the drill bit, the acids react with carbonates in the formation thereby increasing the pH of the drilling fluids causing the VES to gel the fluid at the bottom of the hole and the downhole annulus between the drilling pipe and the formation rock. The viscosified drilling fluid will reduce fluid loss and will carry no dissolved drilling debris to the surface. After drilling through the targeted formation, the internal breakers in the viscosified drilling fluids will break down the fluids to permit their removal, and the well is ready to produce with very little or no near well bore damage.

Abstract: Water production from a subterranean formation is inhibited or controlled by pumping a fluid containing coated particles through a wellbore into the formation. The particles have been previously coated with a relative permeability modifier (RPM). Upon contact with water, the RPM coating expands or swells and inhibits and controls the production of water. The RPM may be a water hydrolyzable polymer having a weight average molecular weight greater than 100,000. The particles may be conventional proppants or gravel.

Abstract: Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) based fluid systems for zone isolation and flow control are effective in water and/or gas shutoff applications. The fluid systems may include brine, a viscosity enhancer, as well as the VES, and optionally a stabilizer for high temperature applications. The stabilizer may be an alkali earth metal oxide, alkali earth metal hydroxide, alkali metal oxide, alkali metal hydroxide, Al2O3, and mixtures thereof. The viscosity enhancer may include pyroelectric particles, piezoelectric particles, and mixtures thereof. The fluid system is easy to pump into the formation, and after pumping, the fluid system will generate very high viscosities to prevent the VES fluid from flowing back to stop undesirable water and/or gas production.