Earth boring, well treating, and oil field chemistry inventions 05/08

20080125334 - Multi-component aqueous gel solution for control of delayed gelation timing and for resulting gel properties: A water based solution having a controllable gel time is disclosed. The solution has predetermined ratios of a water soluble silicate solution having at least one alkali metal, a predetermined ratio of a water dispersible polymer, and a predetermined ratio of a water soluble initiator containing a reactive carbonyl compound.... Agent: Fellers Snider Blankenship Bailey & Tippens

20080125335 - Oilfield apparatus comprising swellable elastomers having nanosensors therein and methods of using same in oilfield application: Apparatus, oilfield assemblies, and methods of use are described. The apparatus comprises, in one embodiment, a swellable elastomeric composition comprising a swellable elastomer and one or more nanosensors dispersed therein and shaped into an oilfield element. Methods of the invention comprise using an apparatus of the invention in an oilfield... Agent: Schlumberger Reservoir Completions

20080119374 - Polymeric acid precursor compositions and methods: A composition is formed from a polymeric acid precursor, such as polylactic acid (PLA), that is a least partially dissolved within a polymer dispersing solvent. An emulsion may be from polymeric acid precursor that is at least partially dissolved within a solvent and a liquid that is substantially immiscible with... Agent: Schlumberger Technology Corporation David Cate

20080119375 - Particulate silver biocides and methods for biocide use in fracturing fluids: The invention deals with the microorganism protection of liquid media, mainly, in the petroleum industry; and it can be applied for the microorganism protection of liquid media used, particularly, when simulating hydrocarbon production, most preferentially, for liquid medium, used in hydraulic fracturing. Biocide is fine particles consisting of silver, at... Agent: Schlumberger Technology Corporation David Cate

20080113878 - Polymers and their production and use as gas hydrate inhibitors: in which n stands for 0, 1 or 2 and A for an arbitrarily substituted C1-C40 group with a compound of the formula 2 B(OH)m in which m is from 2 to 10 and B is a represents an arbitrarily substituted C2-C40 group, B) subsequently reaction of the product thus... Agent: Clariant Corporation Intellectual Property Department

20080113879 - Lost circulation additive for drilling fluids: Additive for a drilling fluid to block drilling-induced or pre-existing rock fractures comprising polymeric granules with a diameter distribution peak between 1000 and 200 microns and an average resiliency of at least 10% rebound after compression by a load of 200 N and uses thereof.... Agent: Osha Liang/mi

20080113880 - Solid-liquid separation of oil-based muds: This invention relates to a method of achieving a solid-liquid separation of an oil-based mud comprising the step of contacting said oil-based mud with a water-in-oil emulsion comprising a polymer derived from at least one water-soluble monomer, where the polymer is not dissolved prior to contact with the oil-based mud,... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20080113881 - Recovery composition and method: A composition comprising a fatty acid alkyl ester; at least one of a surfactant and a colloid; and an acid.... Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman

20080113882 - Sandstone having a modified wettability and a method for modifying the surface energy of sandstone: Methods for modifying the wettability of sandstone. Compositions comprising sandstone having a modified wettability. Such wettability modifications may be useful, for instance, in improving the well-deliverability of an oil and/or gas well located in a sandstone formation.... Agent: 3m Innovative Properties Company

20080113883 - Method of using thermal insulation fluid containing hollow microspheres: A thermal insulating fluid contains microspheres of hollow spherical particulates. The presence of the hollow spherical particles improves the thermal insulating properties of the fluid by imparting to the thermal insulating fluid a low heat transfer coefficient. The hollow particulates may be inorganic or organic in nature and include hollow... Agent: Jones & Smith, LLP

20080113884 - Alkylxylene sulfonates for enhanced oil recovery processes: The present invention is directed to alkylxylene sulfonate for enhanced oil recovery processes. The alkylxylene moiety in the alkylxylene sulfonate contains a high percentage of the 4-alkyl-1,2-dimethyl benzene isomer and a high percentage of alkyl group attachment to the xylene ring at positions higher than the 2-position on the alkyl... Agent: Chevron Corporation

20080108518 - Method of removing dispersed sulfur from sulfur-containing fluids: This invention is a method of using sulfite salts to remove dispersed sulfur from fluids encountered in oil and gas production, transport and refining in which sulfite salts are used to convert the dispersed sulfur into benign, water-soluble sulfur species which remain in aqueous solution. Sulfur precipitation and deposition in... Agent: Michael B. Martin Patent And Licensing Department

20080108519 - Process for treating an underground formation: An underground formation is consolidated by (a) incorporating into a treatment fluid (i) at least one chemical substance which is capable of undergoing a chemical change that alters the physico-chemical environment of the treatment fluid and which is a bicarbonate or a compound that generates a phosphate, phosphoric acid, sulphate,... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, Pc

20080108520 - Method of plugging fractured formation: A material and method for treating a fractured formation penetrated by a wellbore includes providing a quantity of resin coated particles having a particle size of from about 0.2 mm to about 2.35 mm. A quantity of smaller deformable or non-deformable particles is combined with the resin coated particles to... Agent: Schlumberger Technology Corporation David Cate

20080108521 - Oil well fracturing fluids: Additives useful in attenuating the crosslinking time of sparingly soluble borate minerals and the use of those additives in oil well fracturing fluids and methods are described.... Agent: Bennett Jones C/o Ms Roseann Caldwell

20080108522 - Use of anionic surfactants as hydration aid for fracturing fluids: A composition for treating wellbore formations is provided consisting of a hydratable polysaccharide, an anionic surfactant, and an aqueous solvent where the hydratable polysaccharide is soluble in the aqueous solvent. The concentration of the anionic surfactant is sufficient to scavenge greater than about 50%, and preferably greater than 90% of... Agent: Howrey LLP

20080108523 - Polyamine salts as clay stabilizing agents: A clayish subterranean formation, such as may be encountered in rock surrounding a well bore during hydrocarbon recovery operations may be stabilized with a polyamine salt of an imide of polymaleic anhydride. The salt may be unneutralized or partially neutralized. The invention is particularly relevant to hydraulic fracturing fluids used... Agent: Madan, Mossman & Sriram, P.c.

20080108524 - Delayed water-swelling materials and methods of use: A water absorbing composition includes a particle having a core of a water-swelling material. A coating substantially surrounds the core that temporarily prevents contact of water with the water-swelling material. The coating may be formed from a layer of water degradable material or a non-water-degradable, non-water absorbent encapsulating layer. A... Agent: Schlumberger Technology Corporation David Cate

20080108525 - Method and composition for forming protective precipitate on cement surfaces prior to formation acidizing treatment: A method and composition for protecting cement surfaces in a well bore treatment zone from the destructive effects of acid mud and other acidization processes commonly used to stimulate hydrocarbon production from the formation, includes contacting the cement with an aqueous acid mixture of HAc and HF in a mutual... Agent: Abelman, Frayne & Schwab

20080108526 - Saponified fatty acids as viscosity modifiers for viscoelastic surfactant-gelled fluids: Fluids viscosified with viscoelastic surfactants (VESs) may have their viscosities affected (increased or reduced) by the indirect or direct action of a composition that contains at least one fatty acid that has been affected, modified or reacted with an alkali metal halide salt, an alkaline earth metal halide salt, and/or... Agent: Madan, Mossman & Sriram, P.c.

20080108527 - Oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion: An oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion (O/W/O) comprising a first oil-in-water emulsion dispersed in a second oil, and a method of preparing the same. The O/W/O emulsion can be used as a drive fluid in an enhanced oil recovery process. The O/W/O emulsion of this invention may also be used as a lubricant,... Agent: Douglas J. Collins Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

20080108528 - Methods to enhance the pneumatic handling characteristics of weighting agents: A method of processing oilfield weighting agents for pneumatic transference including treating a weight material ore with a chemical additive to produce a treated weighting agent and grinding the treated weighting agent to produce a ground treated weighting agent including a substantially homogenized mixture of the chemical additive and a... Agent: Osha Liang/mi

20080103065 - Compositions comprising melt-processed inorganic fibers and methods of using such compositions: Improved lost circulation compositions that include melt-processed inorganic fibers and methods for using such compositions in subterranean formations are provided. An example of a method of the present invention is a method comprising providing a drilling mud comprising a plurality of melt-processed inorganic fibers, wherein the melt-processed inorganic fibers have... Agent: Craig W. Roddy Halliburton Energy Services

20080103066 - Use of mineral oils to reduce fluid loss for viscoelastic surfactant gelled fluids: Fluids viscosified with viscoelastic surfactants (VESs) may have their fluid loss properties improved with at least one mineral oil which has a viscosity greater than 20 cps at ambient temperature. The mineral oil may initially be dispersed oil droplets in an internal, discontinuous phase of the fluid. In one non-limiting... Agent: Madan, Mossman & Sriram, P.C.

20080103067 - Hydrolytically and hydrothermally stable consolidated proppants and method for the production thereof: A process is described for preparing hydrolytically and hydrothermally stable, consolidated proppants, in which (A) a consolidant comprising a hydrolyzate or precondensate of at least one organosilane, a further hydrolyzable silane and at least one metal compound, where the molar ratio of silicon compounds used to metal compounds used is... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20080103068 - Crosslinker suspension compositions and uses thereof: A delayed crosslinker system useful in downhole treatment fluids is disclosed. The crosslinker system comprises water-reactive solids, a non-aqueous, non-oily, hygroscopic liquid, a suspension aid, and an optional polyol. The crosslinker system may be prepared at a remote location and transported to the site of its intended use. There it... Agent: Schlumberger Technology Corporation David Cate

20080103069 - Ortho ester breakers for viscoelastic surfactant gels and associated methods: Many methods are provided including a method comprising: providing a surfactant gel having a first viscosity that comprises an aqueous base fluid and a surfactant; providing an ortho ester breaker; contacting the surfactant gel with the ortho ester breaker; allowing the ortho ester breaker to hydrolyze to produce an acid... Agent: Robert A. Kent

20080103070 - Ortho ester breakers for viscoelastic surfactant gels and associated methods: Many methods are provided including a method comprising: providing a surfactant gel having a first viscosity that comprises an aqueous base fluid and a surfactant; placing the surfactant gel into a subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance a fracture therein; providing an ortho ester breaker; contacting... Agent: Robert A. Kent