Medlogic Global Corporation

Baroid Drilling Fluids, Inc.

University of Cincinnati

Gel Sciences, Inc.

E C Lupton

Lev Bromberg

Xiaohong Yu

Barry Joseph Hand

Barry Hand

Michael Orkisz

M J Timm

Marie Kearney

Mara Stein

David Diggs

Matthew E Schiller

Nitin Vaid

Lorelle Uhden

Steven B Leeb

George B Hovorka

Stevin H Gehrke

Steven Henry Gehrke

The materials include non-polyampholite crosslinked polymers and gels based on a polymer which in uncrosslinked form is substantially soluble in ionic fluids and substantially insoluble in water. The materials change their state of hydration in response to an environmental trigger. The disclosed materials are useful as drilling, completion or workover fluids in wells such as hydrocarbon producing wells. According to the disclosed method, crosslinked polymers or gels are introduced into a stratum, blocking or bridging the pores of the stratum. Thereafter, an environmental condition is changed to cause the hydrated material to become less hydrated to unblock the pores allowing production from the well.

Drilling compositions and methods

Methods and compositions for encapsulated polymeric gels swollen with nonaqueous reactive materials are provided. The methods include gel synthesis, swelling of a gel precursor with a first nonaqueous reactive material, and encapsulation of the swollen gel with a second nonaqueous reactive material. Gels precursors may be synthesized from crosslinking polymers, or alternatively, may be formed by crosslinking and polymerizing a monomer starting material. An accelerator may be utilized to facilitate swelling of the gel precursor with the first nonaqueous reactive material. Foams and composites may also be swollen with the first nonaqueous reactive material. The swollen gel is then contacted with a second nonaqueous reactive material such that an encapsulation layer is formed thereby. The encapsulated gels may be stored for subsequent use. The methods further include release of the first nonaqueous reactive material encapsulated within the gel under conditions which compromise the integrity of the encapsulation layer. The released first nonaqueous reactive material is then reacted with a nonaqueous reactive material, the reaction product being a useful product for a variety of applications such as coatings, adhesives, sealings, caulking, laminating materials, electrical coatings and the like.

Encapsulated materials

A method of loading a drug into a crosslinked polymer network and protecting the drug from the effects of inactivation is described. The method includes the steps of contacting a biologically active solute (e.g. drug) with: (i) a gel network; (ii) a loading polymer that is somewhat immiscible with the gel; and (iii) a salt, under conditions sufficient for the biologically active solute to selectively partition into the gel and the salt and the loading polymer to be entrained in the gel. A drug delivery system including a polymer gel network and the drug to be delivered is also described. The system also includes a salt and/or a loading polymer. The system protects the drug from loss of activity. In one embodiment, the polymer gel network is capable of expanding or collapsing in response to a change in an environmental condition to which the gel is exposed, the expanding or collapsing sufficient to release the drug into an environment of use.

Enhanced loading of solutes into polymer gels and methods of use

A system for remotely inducing a phase transition in a gel is provided. The system includes a gel capable of volume change in response to an environmental stimulus, a seed material in contact with the gel, and generating a time-varying magnetic or a time-varying electric or electromagnetic field in the proximity of the gel to produce the environmental stimulus. In a preferred embodiment, the environmental stimulus is temperature.

Electromagnetically triggered, responsive gel based drug delivery device

A method of loading a drug into a crosslinked polymer network and protecting the drug from the effects of inactivation is described. The method includes the steps of contacting of a biologically active solute (i.e., drug) with:(i) a gel network; (ii) a second protectant polymer that is somewhat immiscible with the gel; and (iii) a protectant salt, under conditions sufficient for the biologically active solute to selectively partition into the gel and the protectants to be entrained in the gel. Most preferably, the gel network is a crosslinked gel responsive to a change in an environmental condition to which the gel is exposed.

Enhanced loading of solutes into polymer gels

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Boston, MA, United States of America

E C Lupton