Abstract: A method for inhibiting permeability damage of a hydrocarbon formation containing clay minerals in the vicinity of a well penetrating the formation. It comprises: injecting a wet steam that includes (a) an amount of ammonia in the vapor phase of the wet steam to produce a concentration of ammonium ions in the vapor phase condensate of the wet steam effective to inhibit permeability damage of the formation in the vicinity of the vapor phase, and (b) an amount of a bicarbonate salt of the alkali metals, or mixtures thereof, effective to raise the liquid phase pH of the wet steam to within the range of about 7.5 to about 10.5.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for inhibiting permeablility damage of a hydrocarbon formation containing clay minerals in the vicinity of a well penetrating the formation while inhibiting pipe corrosion. It comprises: (1) injecting a wet steam comprising (a) an amount of ammonium ions to produce an ammonium ion concentration in the vapor phase condensate of the wet steam effective to inhibit the permeability damage of the formation in the vicinity of the vapor phase, and (b) an amount of a bicarbonate salt of the alkali metals, or mixtures thereof, effective to raise the pH of the liquid phase of the wet steam within the range of from about 7.5 to about 10.5; and (2) monitoring the pH of the residual liquid phase and continually adjusting the addition of the bicarbonate salt to maintain the pH within the range of from about 7.5 to about 10.5.

Abstract: A method and means for determining the quality of steam in a flowing steam line is disclosed. A tracer solution is injected into a steam flow line. The tracer solution contains a liquid tracer that will reside almost entirely in the liquid phase and a vapor tracer that will reside almost entirely in the vapor phase in the steam line. Downstream of the tracer injection point a liquid sample and a vapor sample are removed and the concentration of liquid and vapor tracers are determined. With simple mass balance equations the steam quality is then determined.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting the dissolution of the gravel pack and/or the erosion of silicate-containing formations subjected to steam-enhanced oil recovery processes. The method includes the addition of CO.sub.2 into the residual liquid phase of the steam, prior to injection down the well bore, to reduce the pH to form about pH 5 to about pH 9.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting the dissolution of the gravel pack and silicate- or carbonate-containing formations subjected to steam-enhanced oil recovery processes while inhibiting the corrosion of mild steel. The method includes the controlled addition of a salt to the steam feed water to maintain the pH of the residual liquid phase in the range of from 8 to 10. Preferred salts are ammonium salts, such as ammonium sulfate and ammonium chloride.