Abstract: This invention relates to compositions and methods of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore including providing a treatment composition comprising a rheological polymer, a partitioning agent, a charged polyelectrolyte, and a first liquid medium, forming a stabilized heterogeneous mixture comprising a dispersed rheological polymer-rich phase and a partitioning agent-rich phase, and injecting the treatment fluid into the well bore. The invention relates to methods and compositions for preparing a well treatment fluid, including mixing polyethylene glycol partitioning agent, a charged polyelectrolyte, a first aqueous medium, and one or more rheological polymers selected from the group consisting of guar, modified guar, cellulose, modified cellulose, heteropolysaccharide, heteropolysaccharide derivative, or polyacrylamide, to hydrate the one or more polymers and form a water-in-water emulsion, and mixing the water-in-water emulsion with a second aqueous medium to form a well treatment fluid.

Abstract: A sand consolidation system and a method for use of the system is provided. The consolidation system includes an emulsion having an oil phase and an aqueous phase, wherein the emulsion contains a source of insoluble silica particles and a source of calcium hydroxide, wherein the calcium hydroxide particles are present in the oil phase, and the insoluble silica particles are contained in the aqueous phase. Both types of particles must have average particle sizes which will fit into the pores of the formations.

Abstract: A slurry and method are disclosed for low damage gravel packing. The slurry comprises a solids mixture comprising a plurality of volume-averaged particle size distribution (PSD) modes such that a packed volume fraction (PVF) exceeds 0.75; a carrier fluid in an amount to provide a solids volume fraction (SVF) less than the PVF of the solids mixture; and a stability additive to inhibit settling of the solids mixture. The method comprises circulating the slurry into a wellbore to deposit the slurry downhole; terminating the slurry circulation for a period of time, wherein the stability additive inhibits settling of the solids mixture; and thereafter circulating the deposited slurry in contact with a surface of a screen. Stability additives disclosed include colloidal particles, hydratable polymer particles, and particles having an aspect ratio above 6.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming a fluid for use within in a subterranean formation including combining a partitioning agent and viscosifying polymer into a fluid, introducing the fluid into the subterranean formation, and recovering at least a portion of the fluid at a uppermost surface of the subterranean formation. Methods and apparatus of forming a fluid for use within in a subterranean formation including combining a partitioning agent and viscosifying polymer into a fluid, introducing the fluid into the subterranean formation at a temperature of about 45° C. or higher, and recovering at least a portion of the fluid at a uppermost surface of the subterranean formation at a temperature of about 45° C. or lower.

Abstract: A well treatment composition is formed from a fluid mixture of a viscoelastic surfactant and a liquid carrier fluid. The fluid mixture has rheological properties wherein the mixture exhibits shear-thickening behavior when the shear rate is increased from a first shear rate to a second higher shear rate. The fluid mixture may further include a shear activation additive that interacts with the viscoelastic surfactant to facilitate the shear-thickening behavior. The method is accomplished by introducing the fluid mixture into a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation. In certain applications, the fluid mixture may be recycled by bringing the fluid mixture to the surface and reintroducing the fluid into the same or a different wellbore.

Abstract: The invention discloses a method of creating a polymerized composition in a well bore: providing a polymerizable composition made of a polymerization initiator and a monomer polymerizable by frontal polymerization; introducing the polymerizable composition into the wellbore; exposing the polymerizable composition to a trigger to activate the frontal polymerization; and creating the polymerized composition.

Abstract: A method for treating a subterranean wellbore. More specifically, a method for removing wellbore solids. A first, polymer containing fluid is placed in the solids bed. A second, viscosifying fluid is then placed into the solids bed thereby agitating the solids in the bed and causing the formation of a gel capsules when mixed with the biopolymer fluid. These gel capsules are capable of trapping or entraining the agitated solids. The gel capsules typically have a relatively high volume and a relatively low density, thereby making their removal from the wellbore easier.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are given for delayed breaking of viscoelastic surfactant gels inside formation pores, particularly for use in hydraulic fracturing. Breaking inside formation pores is accomplished without mechanical intervention or use of a second fluid. Oxidizing agents such as air, oxygen, persulfates, bromates, peroxides, and others are used. The break may be accelerated, for example with a free radical propagating species, or retarded, for example with an oxygen scavenger. In certain brines, for example bromide brines, certain zwitterionic viscoelastic fluid systems that can decarboxylate and that require an anion-containing co-surfactant undergo delayed degradation if oxygen is present, for example from fluid preparation or in a foam.

Abstract: This invention relates to compositions and methods of treating a surface in contact with a wellbore and/or a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore, comprising forming a treatment composition comprising a rheological polymer, a partitioning agent, and a liquid medium; and injecting the treatment fluid into the well bore, wherein the treatment composition forms a heterogeneous mixture comprising a dispersed rheological polymer-rich phase and a partitioning agent-rich phase, and wherein the stability of the heterogeneous mixture is controlled by introducing a stability control agent. This invention relates to compositions and methods for forming a water in water emulsion, comprising a rheological polymer, a partitioning agent, a liquid medium; and a stability control agent, wherein the emulsion is a heterogeneous mixture comprising a dispersed rheological polymer-rich phase and a partitioning agent-rich phase.

Abstract: A composition and method for improving the fluid efficiency of many oilfield treatments is given. The composition is a solid additive, in a viscosified fluid, in a size range small enough that it enters formation pores; it optionally bridges there to form an internal filter cake, and then decomposes to provide a breaker for the viscosifying system for the fluid. Examples of suitable additives include waxes, polyesters, polycarbonates, polyacetals, polymelamines, polyvinyl chlorides, and polyvinyl acetates. Degradation of the additive may be accelerated or delayed.

Abstract: A treatment fluid that can be used for treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore is prepared from a primary treatment fluid component and an emulsion component mixed with the primary treatment fluid component. The emulsion component has an oil phase and an aqueous phase. The emulsion component comprising a source of insoluble silica particles and a source of calcium hydroxide, wherein the source of calcium hydroxide is present in the oil phase, and the source of insoluble silica particles are contained in the aqueous phase. The method is carried out by contacting at least a portion of the formation with the treatment fluid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a subterranean formation comprising stimulating and fracturing a subterranean formation, and drilling the subterranean formation wherein the drilling and fracturing occurs without removing equipment for drilling from the formation. A method and apparatus for drilling and fracturing a subterranean formation, comprising a drill string assembly and a hydraulic fracturing system, wherein the drill string and fracturing system are in communication with a wellbore and wherein the drill string and a fracture formed by the hydraulic fracturing system are less than about 1000 feet apart. A method and apparatus for processing a subterranean formation comprising fracturing a subterranean formation using a hydraulic fracturing system and drilling the subterranean formation using a drill string assembly wherein the drilling and fracturing occurs without removing the drill string from the formation, and wherein the fracturing occurs via ports in the drill string assembly.

Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore includes preparing a treatment fluid with shear thinning, non-monotonic rheological properties, injecting the treatment fluid into the subterranean formation, and inducing shear rate softening phase transition in the treatment fluid. The non-monotonic rheology properties can be such that in the relationship between shear stress (?) versus strain rate ({dot over (?)}), where {dot over (?)}1<{dot over (?)}2<{dot over (?)}3<{dot over (?)}4, the shear stress values are ?1<?2?3??4, and ?3<?2 The method can heterogeneously deposit proppant or solid acid in a fracture. A system to fracture a subterranean formation includes the fracturing fluid, a wellbore to inject the fracturing fluid to propagate a fracture in the formation, and a rate controller to inject the fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation at a minimum volumetric rate to provide a shear stress at an inlet to the fracture that exceeds ?2.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for treating a subterranean wellbore. More specifically, the invention is a method for removing wellbore solids. A first, polymer containing fluid is placed in the solids bed. A second, viscosifying fluid is then placed into the solids bed thereby agitating the solids in the bed and causing the formation of a gel capsules when mixed with the biopolymer fluid. These gel capsules are capable of trapping or entraining the agitated solids. The gel capsules typically have a relatively high volume and a relatively low density, thereby making their removal from the wellbore easier.

Abstract: A method for well treatment by forming a temporary plug in a fracture, a perforation, a wellbore, or more than one of these locations, in a well penetrating a subterranean formation is provided, in which the method of well treatment includes: injecting a slurry comprising a degradable material, allowing the degradable material to form a plug in a perforation, a fracture, or a wellbore in a well penetrating a formation; performing a downhole operation; and allowing the degradable material to degrade after a selected time such that the plug disappears.

Abstract: Embodiments of this invention relate to compositions and methods of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore including introducing a Theological polymer into a subterranean formation, introducing a partitioning agent into a subterranean formation and forming a heterogeneous mixture comprising a dispersed Theological polymer-rich phase and a partitioning agent-rich phase, wherein the viscosity of the mixture is lower than the viscosity of the mixture when no partitioning agent is present.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming a fluid for use within in a subterranean formation including combining a partitioning agent and viscosifying polymer into a fluid, introducing the fluid into the subterranean formation, and recovering at least a portion of the fluid at a uppermost surface of the subterranean formation. Methods and apparatus of forming a fluid for use within in a subterranean formation including combining a partitioning agent and viscosifying polymer into a fluid, introducing the fluid into the subterranean formation at a temperature of about 45° C. or higher, and recovering at least a portion of the fluid at a uppermost surface of the subterranean formation at a temperature of about 45° C. or lower.

Abstract: The present invention relates to aqueous oilfield treatment fluids containing a gas component and fibers, wherein the fluids may further include a viscosifying agent and/or proppant. The fluids have good proppant suspension and transport properties as well as excellent gas phase stability. Use of fluids comprising an aqueous medium, a gas component, viscosifying agent, and fibers for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation, cleanup operations, and gravel packing a wellbore, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming a fluid for use within in a subterranean formation comprising combining a partitioning agent, crosslinkable polymer, and crosslinker into a fluid, wherein more than 50 percent of the crosslinkable polymer crosslinks and less than 10 percent of the partitioning agent crosslinks, and introducing the fluid into the subterranean formation. Methods and apparatus of forming a fluid for use within in a subterranean formation comprising combining a partitioning agent, crosslinkable polymer, and crosslinker into a fluid, wherein a critical polymer concentration for crosslinking the crosslinkable polymer is lower than if the partitioning agent were not in the fluid, and introducing the fluid into the subterranean formation.

Abstract: A method of plugging a fracture in a subterranean formation which includes placing into the fracture a composition comprising microspheres or microbeads, wherein the microspheres are created by surface crosslinking of droplets in a water-in-water emulsion. Such microspheres may form a filter cake in the formation. The microspheres may include a chemical agent to be released when the microspheres dissolve.