Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Integrity Bio-Chemicals, LLC

Other

Hppe, LLC

Water Tectonics, Inc.

Roger H. Woods Limited

Charles R Landis

Eric Frantz

Dale E Jamison

Jay Paul Deville

Cato Russell McDaniel

Christopher P Gardner

Ashoka V R Madduri

Steven Reed Gray

Eric B Frantz

Cato Mcdaniel

Ryan Patrick Collins

Thomas S Cortner

Shantel J Stone

Curtis J Rodencal

Brian Coles

Jimmie Gordon Youngblood

William Walter Shumway

Stephen William Almond

Sanket Gandhi

Matthew B Blackmon

Ricky P Rothermel

Danny Oaks

Alfredo M Angeles-Boza

Roger H Woods

Diptabhas Sarkar

Jimmie Gordon Youngblood, Jr

Robert A Harvey

Kristopher Megahan

Laura P Kuri

Brian L Coles

Matthew Hilfiger

Thomas Anderson

Wen-Chin Andrew Liao

Jimmy G Youngblood

David M Donald

Bryan Nielsen

Lee A Manning

Don Dell

Ashoka VR Madduri

David W Donald

Douglas H Pullman

Ryan P Collins

Edward Anderson

Proppant embedment can sometimes be problematic during fracturing operations. A partially oxidized, amine-functionalized polysaccharide comprising a plurality of oxidatively opened monosaccharide units and bearing an amine moiety at one or more sites of oxidative opening may lessen the amount of proppant embedment that occurs. Fracturing methods may comprise providing a fracturing fluid comprising such a partially oxidized, amine-functionalized polysaccharide and a plurality of proppant particulates, introducing the fracturing fluid into a subterranean formation at a hydraulic pressure sufficient to create or extend one or more fractures therein, such that at least a portion of the plurality of proppant particulates become localized in the one or more fractures, and releasing the hydraulic pressure. Upon releasing the hydraulic pressure, embedment of the proppant particulates in a face of the one or more fractures is about 10% to about 40% of a grain size of the proppant particulates.

Decreasing proppant embedment with amine-functionalized polysaccharides

Proppant embedment can sometimes be problematic during fracturing operations. A partially oxidized, amine-functionalized polysaccharide comprising a plurality of oxidatively opened monosaccharide units and bearing an amine moiety at one or more sites of oxidative opening may lessen the amount of proppant embedment that occurs. Fracturing methods may comprise providing a fracturing fluid comprising such a partially oxidized, amine-functionalized polysaccharide and a plurality of proppant particulates, introducing the fracturing fluid into a subterranean formation at a hydraulic pressure sufficient to create or extend one or more fractures therein, such that at least a portion of the plurality of proppant particulates become localized in the one or more fractures, and releasing the hydraulic pressure. Upon releasing the hydraulic pressure, embedment of the proppant particulates in a face of the one or more fractures is about 10% to about 40% of a grain size of the proppant particulates. Regain permeability may also increase.

Loose particulate materials can be problematic in various aspects. For example, loose particulate materials may generate dust or be difficult to consolidate together. Fines in loose particulate materials may also be an issue. Coated particulates may alleviate some of the foregoing issues. Suitable coated particulates may comprise a particulate material comprising sand or a ceramic, and a polysaccharide composition coated upon the particulate material, the polysaccharide composition comprising a functionalized polysaccharide. Other particulate materials such as wood chips and animal litter particulates may be coated with functionalized polysaccharides to achieve similar advantages.

Polysaccharide compositions and particulate materials coated therewith

Interactions between aqueous fluids and clay-containing subterranean formations may be problematic due to issues associated with clay destabilization and migration. Functionalized dextrin compounds that are partially oxidized and bear at least one amine group at an oxidation site may promote clay stabilization for more effective treatment of a subterranean formation. Subterranean treatment methods may comprise: providing a clay stabilizing composition comprising an amine-functionalized dextrin compound, the amine-functionalized dextrin compound comprising 2 to about 20 glucose units linked together with &#x3b1;(1,4) glycosidic bonds, and a portion of the glucose units being oxidatively opened and functionalized with at least one amine group at a site of oxidative opening; introducing the clay stabilizing composition into a subterranean formation bearing a clay-containing mineral; and interacting the amine-functionalized dextrin compound with the clay-containing mineral to affect stabilization thereof.

Aminated dextrin compounds and subterranean treatment methods using the same

Interactions between aqueous fluids and clay-containing subterranean formations may be problematic due to issues associated with clay destabilization and migration. Subterranean treatment methods may comprise: providing a clay stabilizing composition comprising an amine-functionalized dextrin compound having 2 to about 20 glucose units linked together with &#x3b1;(1,4) glycosidic bonds, and an amine-functionalized dextran polymer having a plurality of glucose units linked together with &#x3b1;(1,6) glycosidic bonds; introducing the clay stabilizing composition into a subterranean formation bearing a clay-containing mineral; and interacting the amine-functionalized dextrin compound and the amine-functionalized dextran polymer with the clay-containing mineral to affect stabilization thereof. A portion of the glucose units are oxidatively opened and functionalized with at least one amine group at a site of oxidative opening in both the amine-functionalized dextrin compound and the amine-functionalized dextran polymer. The amine-functionalized dextrin compound and the amine-functionalized dextran polymer operate synergistically with one another.

Compositions comprising aminated dextrin compounds and subterranean treatment methods using the same

When treating an aqueous stream containing metal ions, the pH is often raised to remove at least a portion of the metal ions. The presence of a multiplicity of metal ions with interfering chemistries and/or varying concentrations can make the pH rise difficult to predict for a given amount of base. Accordingly, water treatment processes can comprise: providing an acidic aqueous stream comprising one or more metal ions; adding a base to the aqueous stream and increasing its pH to a first pH value; after adding the base and increasing the pH, adding an alkaline source of hypochlorous acid to the aqueous stream and further increasing its pH to a second pH value, the second pH value being about 7 or above; and removing at least a portion of the metal ions from the aqueous stream after adding the base and the alkaline source of hypochlorous acid.

Water treatment processes utilizing sequential addition of a base and an oxidant

Compositions comprising crosslinked polysaccharides, particularly levan and/or dextran, may provide advantageous benefits when admixed with concrete blends. Suitable compositions may comprise a biologically sourced surfactant, and a crosslinked polysaccharide, in which the crosslinked polysaccharide comprises at least one crosslinking group bonded via ether linkages to a first polysaccharide chain and a second polysaccharide chain. Concrete blends may comprise such compositions, a cement and water. Methods for forming and/or using the concrete blends may comprise allowing the concrete blends to form a hardened mass.

Crosslinked polysaccharide compositions and concrete blends containing the same

Mineral particles may provide for wellbore fluids with tailorable properties and capabilities. Methods of using mineral particles may include circulating a wellbore fluid with a first density of about 7 ppg to about 50 ppg in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the wellbore fluid comprising a base fluid, a plurality of first mineral particles, and a plurality of second mineral particles such that the first mineral particles and the second mineral particles are present in a first relative ratio, and the first mineral particles and the second mineral particles having a multiparticle specific gravity of about 3 to about 20; and changing the first relative ratio to a second relative ratio on-the-fly so as to yield the wellbore fluid with a second density.

Wellbore fluids comprising mineral particles and methods relating thereto

The present invention relates to nanoparticle smart tags and the use of nanoparticle smart tags in the detection of analyte. In particular, the present invention relates to nanoparticle smart tags that may be used in subgeologic formations to detect analytes of interest in real-time. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of providing a drilling fluid having a nanoparticle smart tag; and a base fluid; and introducing the drilling fluid in a subsurface geologic formation that has an analyte.

Nanoparticle smart tags in subterranean applications

Various embodiments disclosed relate to methods of separating impurities from industrial minerals using electrocoagulation and apparatuses for performing the same. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of purifying an industrial mineral composition. The method can include obtaining or providing an aqueous slurry comprising a mineral composition comprising one or more industrial minerals and one or more impurities. The method can include subjecting the aqueous slurry to an electrical current to form at least one coagulation comprising the one or more impurities. The method can include separating at least one of the coagulations from the one or more minerals, providing a purified mineral composition.

Methods of separating impurities from industrial minerals using electrocoagulation

Mineral particles may provide for wellbore fluids with tailorable properties and capabilities, and methods relating thereto. Mineral particles may be utilized in methods that include introducing a wellbore fluid having a density of about 7 ppg to about 50 ppg into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the wellbore fluid comprising a base fluid and a plurality of mineral particles, and the wellbore fluid having a first viscosity; contacting at least some of the mineral particles with a linking agent so as to link the at least some of the mineral particles, thereby increasing the first viscosity to a second viscosity.

According to an embodiment, a method for thermally insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises the steps of: (A) introducing a grouting composition into an annulus between the tubular and the enclosed conduit, the grouting composition comprising: (i) a water-swellable binding material comprising water-swellable clay; (ii) an aqueous liquid, wherein the aqueous liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (iii) an insulating material; and (B) allowing the grouting composition to set after the step of introducing, wherein after setting the grouting composition has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 BTU/hr&#xb7;ft&#xb7;&#xb0; F. According to another embodiment, a grouting composition for use in insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises: (A) a water-swellable binding material comprising water-swellable clay; (B) an aqueous liquid, wherein the aqueous liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (C) an insulating material, wherein after the grouting composition has set, the grouting composition has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.3 BTU/hr&#xb7;ft&#xb7;&#xb0; F.

Water-based grouting composition with an insulating material

A method comprising drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation; providing a drilling fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a property control package, the property control package comprising: a stabilizing agent; a filtration control agent; and a suspension enhancer; introducing the drilling fluid into the wellbore in the subterranean formation; and continuously circulating the drilling fluid during the drilling of the wellbore.

Drilling fluid compositions and methods for use thereof in subterranean formations

Mineral particles may provide for wellbore fluids with tailorable properties and capabilities. In some instances, a dry wellbore additive may comprise a plurality of first mineral particles having a specific gravity of about 2.6 to about 20; a plurality of second mineral particles having a specific gravity of about 5.5 to about 20; a plurality of lubricant particles having a specific gravity of about 2.6 to about 20; wherein the first mineral particles, the second mineral particles, and the lubricant particles are different; and wherein the first mineral particles, the second mineral particles, and the lubricant particles have a multiparticle specific gravity of about 3 to about 20.

The present invention relates to improved bentonite barrier compositions having enhanced low permeability over time in containment applications. Of the many embodiments provided herein, one embodiment includes a method comprising: providing a bentonite barrier composition comprising: bentonite; and a polyanionic low molecular weight polymer; and forming a containment using the bentonite barrier composition to provide at least partial separation for a containment from its environment.

Methods of using improved bentonite barrier compositions and related geosynthetic clay liners

Growing community of inventors

The Woodlands, TX, United States of America

Charles R Landis