Abstract: A liquid chemical, such as a corrosion inhibitor, is inserted into a producing well by pouring the chemical into an elongate carrier and then dropping the carrier into the well. The liquid chemical and the carrier are selected so that the carrier is dissolved by the chemical. The chemical is therefore delivered into the well toward the bottom thereof where it is desired to place the chemical.

Abstract: Scale deposition is inhibited with a new scale inhibitor precipitation squeeze method wherein inhibitor solution is injected at a higher first pH into a subsurface brine producing formation. Thereafter, the solution is subjected to a fluid or substance which lowers the higher first pH of the scale inhibitor solution to a lower second pH, thereby causing precipitation of scale inhibitor in the formation. The scale inhibitor is characterized by the fact that the scale inhibitor exhibits a significant solubility decrease between the higher first pH and the lower second pH. The method of this invention, therefore, is based on decreasing the pH the scale inhibitor solution to deposit the scale inhibitor and does not use prior art divalent cation precipitation methods to precipitate inhibitors. This invention lessens the chances of formation damage or plugging. The preferred scale inhibitors are the amine phosphonates of a given general structure.

Abstract: The accumulation of inorganic mineral scale such as barium sulfate in oil field formations and/or production equipment is inhibited by adding to formation fluid or produced fluid a scale formation inhibitory amount of a polyalkoxy sulfonate of the general formula(RO[R'O].sub.x (CH.sub.2).sub.y SO.sub.3).sub.z Mwherein R is a hydrophobe, R'O is a C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O or a C.sub.3 H.sub.6 O group or some combination thereof, M is a monovalent or divalet cation, x is 2 to 10, y is 0 to about 4 and z is 1 or 2.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing fluids within a subterranean borehole wherein a submersible pump is introduced into the borehole at a first location. An intake port of the pump is connected to the first end of an intake duct having an unconnected second end located at a second location within the wellbore from which location fluid is to be withdrawn. An output port of the pump is connected to a first end of a second duct having an unconnected second end at a third location within the wellbore into which location fluid is to be introduced. By activating the pump, fluids, such as scale and corrosion inhibitors, are distributed from above the intake of a production pump to as low in the borehole as is required to protect wellbore contents.

Abstract: A method for determining true fracture pressure of earth formations disposed below a liner or casing cemented in place comprising the location of an elastomer sealing element cemented in place against the borehole wall at the bottom of the liner or casing and just above the casing shoe so as to prevent annular migration of liquids in the seal interface with the earth formations and to permit true fracture pressure of the formations to be determined.

Abstract: The effluent stream from a process for producing phenolic compounds is reacted with an aldehyde in the presence of a base to form a water soluble resol which is useful in enhanced oil recovery.

Abstract: A composition comprising the reaction adduct or neutralized product resulting from the reaction of a maleic anhydride and an oil containing a polynuclear aromatic compound is provided which, when applied to a metal surface, forms a corrosion-inhibiting film thereon. The composition is particularly useful in the treatment of down-hole metal surfaces in oil and gas wells to inhibit the corrosion of the metal.

Abstract: A packing material useful in a gravel pack for open or cased wells or in a prepack for use in steam or hot fluid injection and production wells. The packing material is a material which is insoluble in high temperature caustic fluids and subsurface formation fluids. Sintered bauxite is a claimed material.

Abstract: A packing material useful in a gravel pack for open or cased wells or in a prepack for use in steam or hot fluid injection and production wells. The packing material is a material which is insoluble in high temperature caustic fluids and subsurface formation fluids. Sintered bauxite is a claimed material.

Abstract: A composition is provided which, when applied to a metal surface, forms a corrosion-inhibiting film thereon. The composition comprises an amine, a hydrocarbon or alcohol diluent and carbon dioxide. The composition can be prepared by pressuring carbon dioxide gas into a solution of the amine. The composition is particularly useful in the treatment of down-well metal surfaces in oil and gas wells to inhibit the corrosion of the metal.

Abstract: A method for treating a hot water-containing fluid stream passing through a conduit, under conditions of temperature and pressure whereupon at least a portion of the water flashes to steam, to inhibit the formation of scale deposited on the conduit and/or dissolve any such scale already formed, and to inhibit corrosion of the conduit wherein there is added to the fluid stream an effective amount of a solution of a water-soluble compound which provides a nitrogen-containing cation capable of flashing to become a gas at high temperatures selected from the group consisting of ammonium halides, ammonium salts of inorganic acids, ammonium salts of organic acids, ammonium salts of alpha hydroxy organic acids, quaternary ammonium halides, quaternary ammonium salts of inorganic acids, quaternary ammonium salts of organic acids, amine salts of inorganic acids, amine salts of organic acids and amides. Optionally the solution or dispersion also contains a water-soluble or dispersible polymer and/or a buffering agent.

Abstract: A method for reducing concentrations of hydrogen sulfide present in subterranean well fluids by injection of a stabilized solution of chlorine dioxide. The stabilized chlorine dioxide solution is introduced into the subterranean well by injecting the solution through the well bore. This method also includes the reduction of the hydrogen sulfide content in drilling mud which has been contaminated by hydrogen sulfide present in a hydrocarbon well by mixing a stabilized solution of chlorine dioxide with the drilling mud. This method requires the preparation of a stabilized chlorine dioxide solution, a determination of the approximate amount of hydrogen sulfide which might be brought to the surface by the drilling mud and the introduction of the predetermined amount of stabilized chlorine dioxide solution into the drilling mud.

Abstract: Microcapsules containing a gas hydrate inhibitor, such as a glycol, are suspended in a carrier fluid and injected directly into a gas-bearing formation via a producing well. The microcapsules release the hydrate inhibitor in situ at varying rates to provide a relatively continuous flow of inhibitor into the produced gas-water mixture over a long period of time.

Abstract: A method for the treatment of oil well production streams to process oil-contaminated sand to recover oil therefrom and produce an ecologically acceptable clean sand residue. The process involves separating the production fluid from an oil well having sand entrained therein into a plurality of components, one of which comprises an oil-contaminated sand. The contaminated sand is contacted with a light oil solvent to initiate a solvating action of the oil contaminant. The resulting mixture of oil-contaminated sand and solvent is then contacted with water and the system then gravity separated into discrete sand, water and oil phases. The oil and water phases may be removed from the sand and the sand phase again contacted with water and the resulting mixture then subjected to gravity separation to produce separate sand and water phases. The water phase is then removed and the sand passed to a suitable disposal facility.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of ridding objectionable hydrogen sulfide gases from well water before pumping the water from the well is provided, wherein the water at the water table level in the well is aerated, causing turbulence in the well water, and facilitating the escape of hydrogen sulfide gases to the atmosphere.The apparatus (10) for ridding hydrogen sulfide gases from well water comprises means (16) for pumping well water (19) under pressure to a water delivery system of an edifice (30, 33), additional means (38) associated with the pumping means (16) for delivering a relatively small portion of the well water under pressure to the well water (19) in the well (12) to cause turbulence in the water to facilitate the escape of hydrogen sulfide gases from the well water, and further means (13) to vent the freed hydrogen sulfide gases to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A gravity system, the only moving parts of which are the valves, uses only the system pressures, and opening and closing of valves to feed treatment liquids to an oil well. The chemical treatment liquid is stored in a drum above a volume chamber. The volume chamber has five lines connected to it, each with a valve. A feed line with a feed valve connects the volume chamber to the treatment drum. A vent line with a vent valve vents the top part of the volume chamber to the atmosphere. A liquid pressure line with a pressure valve connects the flow line (connected to the oil well eduction tube) to the volume chamber. A flush line with a flush valve connects the bottom of the volume chamber to the well annulus. A gas line with a gas valve connects the volume chamber to the annulus. When the vent valve and feed valve are open and all other valves are closed, the volume chamber will fill with liquid by gravity from the chemicals within the treatment drum.

Abstract: A method of recovering natural gas entrapped in frozen subsurface gas hydrate formations in arctic regions. A hot supersaturated solution of CaCl.sub.2 or CaBr.sub.2, or a mixture thereof, is pumped under pressure down a wellbore and into a subsurface hydrate formation so as to hydrostatically fracture the formation. The CaCl.sub.2 /CaBr.sub.2 solution dissolves the solid hydrates and thereby releases the gas entrapped therein. Additionally, the solution contains a polymeric viscosifier, which operates to maintain in suspension finely divided crystalline CaCl.sub.2 /CaBr.sub.2 that precipitates from the supersaturated solution as it is cooled during injection into the formation.

Abstract: The process of providing corrosion protection in a deep, offshore, corrosive gas well containing acid gases such as H.sub.2 S or CO.sub.2 by continuously circulating a manufactured carrier oil containing a corrosion inhibitor can be improved where that well or a nearby well produces a condensate that contains high boiling, organic compounds. Determinations can be made and utilized concerning whether, and to what extent, portions of such a carrier oil can be replaced by portions of such a condensate.

Abstract: A multiple branch well for use with in situ leach mining of deep lying ore bodies. The branch wells may be formed by a method disclosed in a related invention. Each well may have two branches one of which is a producer well and one an injector well. Internally of the main casing from which the two branch casings extend are--from the lower end up--a packer unit, a tubing hanger, and a wireline retrievable hydraulically generated pump. The packer and tubing hanger serve their conventional function of, respectively, blocking the flow of leach fluids and holding the branch tubular casing in place within the main casing. The hydraulic pump joins the tubular casings to maintain a constant ratio of produced fluid to injected fluid. This pump is operated by a pressurized fluid source. Since it is retrievable and hydraulically operated, the pump can be brought to the surface for any repairs or maintenance and it requires less surface plumbing with no down hole electrical power.

Abstract: A method for treating and removing unwanted asphaltene deposits from oil and gas wells, surface equipment, flow lines, and pore spaces of oil-baring formations comprises treatment with an amine-activated aliphatic disulfide oil as an asphaltene solvent. In a preferred aspect, the aliphatic disulfide oil is a dialkyl disulfide oil and is activated by the addition of 10 weight percent of diethylamine. In a specific use, the activated disulfide oil is used to remove asphaltene deposits from an oil-bearing formation and a producing well penetrating the formation.

Abstract: A liquid well-treating chemical composition is injected into the production tubing during gas lift operations by providing a differential pressure operated valve downhole from the lowermost gas lift flow valve and maintaining sufficient liquid head of the chemical composition in the annulus to open the valve and cause the liquid chemical composition to pass into the interior of the production tubing.