The precipitation time of a precipitate-forming aqueous solution containing a polyvalent metal that precipitates as a gelatinous metal hydroxide and a reactant that raises the pH to cause the precipitation is decreased by dissolving an incompletely dissociated polyvalent acid in the aqueous solution.

A subterranean formation having at least one borehole is treated with an aqueous gel wherein crude oil and water were produced from the subterranean formation through the borehole until the production of crude oil was reduced due to the presence of sandy material restricting the borehole, and the production of crude oil is increased as a result of said treatment as, for example, by producing crude oil and water from the formation at a lower water-oil ratio as compared to the water-oil ratio prio...

A method is provided for treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore comprising the steps of: a) forming a phosphate ester gelled hydrocarbon fracturing fluid comprising a liquid hydrocarbon and a an alkyl phosphate gelling agent; b) adding said fluid a delayed gel breaker, c) injecting said fluid down a well, and d) allowing said breaker to break the fracturing fluid gel after an initial delay period and destabilize a metal crosslink in said gel, reducing the volatile phosphorou...

A preferred novel breaker-crosslinker-polymer complex and a method for using the complex in a fracturing fluid to fracture a subterranean formation that surrounds a well bore by pumping the fluid to a desired location within the well bore under sufficient pressure to fracture the surrounding subterranean formation. The complex may be maintained in a substantially non-reactive state by maintaining specific conditions of pH and temperature, until a time at which the fluid is in place in the well b...

A method of consolidating permeable unconsolidated formations with an epoxy forming resin under controlled reaction and temperature conditions using three premixed solutions which are to be supplied to the field, one solution comprising epoxide dissolved in aromatic hydrocarbons, the second solution comprising a curing agent dissolved in aromatic and nonaromatic hydrocarbons and the third solution containing phenol and m.p. cresol dissolved in aromatic and nonaromatic hydrocarbons. By suitably c...

A method is disclosed for increasing the recovery of oil in enhanced oil recovery operations employing anionic surfactant by blending a taurine with said anionic surfactant. The taurine may also increase the salt and divalent ion tolerance of the anionic surfactant.

A method of completing a well which includes the installion of a gravel pack completion adjacent a formation in the well. A fluid-loss agent is flowed into the well to form a barrier to flow into and/out of the formation prior to the installation of the gravel pack. A screen is then lowered into the well and is positioned adjacent the formation. A gravel slurry which includes a removal agent is flowed into the well to deposit gravel. The removal agent contacts and dissolves or disintegrates the ...

The present invention relates to sealing compositions and associated methods. In one embodiment, the present invention provides sealing compositions that comprise a viscous liquid polymer and a monomer comprising a vinyl monomer or an activated vinyl monomer. In other embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods of forming a seal in a subterranean formation using a sealing composition of the present invention.

The present invention relates to subterranean treatment operations. More particularly, the present invention relates to improved treatment fluids and methods of using such improved treatment fluids in subterranean formations. An example of a method of the present invention is a method of treating a subterranean formation. Another example of a method of the present invention is a method of drilling in a subterranean formation. Another example of a method of the present invention is a method of de...

Sand grains coated with a solid non-cured epoxy resin with a softening point above 35.degree. C. are placed in a well for gravel pack, well repair or fracturing purposes. The epoxy resin softens at formation temperature and reacts with a hardener (such as a tertiary amine) diluted in water present in the pore space of the mass of sand grains. A consolidated mass of sand grains is thus obtained. The coated sand grains can be transported to the well site and stored over long periods at relatively ...