Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Eric Frantz

Charles R Landis

Thomas S Cortner

Jim Mabrey

Preston Andrew May

Matthew Hilfiger

Rebecca Marie Henry

Thomas Anderson

Don Dell

Described herein are methods of enhancing the rheological properties of a colloidal mineral suspension in a liquid with high-intensity acoustical energy. In some examples, the colloidal mineral suspension may be dehydrated after treatment with high-intensity acoustical energy.

High-intensity acoustic treatment of colloidal mineral suspensions for wellbore operations

Various embodiments disclosed relate to absorbent clumping animal litter compositions, and to methods of using and making the same. In some embodiments, the present invention provides an absorbent clumping animal litter composition including an absorbent component and a pumice component.

Absorbent clumping animal litter compositions

Methods including drying a crude mineral composition including surface active minerals ('SAM') and gangue, grinding the crude mineral composition to produce a crude mineral particulate composition including SAM particulates and gangue particulates, contacting the crude mineral particulate composition with a quaternary ammonium surfactant to form organically modified surface active mineral ('OMSAM') particulates, grinding the crude mineral particulate composition that was contacted with the quaternary ammonium surfactant, and separating a portion of the OMSAM particulates from the gangue particulates using an air classifier.

Purification of organically modified surface active minerals by air classification

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 of forming a set grout includes steps of preparing a grout additive fluid comprising a fresh water base fluid and a grout additive control package comprising a primary additive selected from the group consisting of an inhibitor, a dispersant, a thermally conductive material, and any combination thereof; introducing an aqueous swellable clay into the grout additive fluid, thereby forming a final grout fluid; and introducing the final grout fluid into an annulus in a subterranean formation, the annulus formed between an exterior of a geothermal well loop tubular and the subterranean formation. The ordering of additives in the method results in enhanced effectiveness of the additives, which may reduce the amount of additive loading required.

Grout fluids for use in a geothermal well loop

Beneficiating drilling fluids that comprise low-quality clay and high-quality clay may be performed by adding a polymer and a high-quality clay to a fluid that comprises an aqueous base fluid and a low-quality clay, so as to yield a drilling fluid, wherein the ratio of the low-quality clay to the high-quality clay is about 90:10 to about 80:20.

Methods of beneficiating drilling fluids comprising low- and high-quality clays

Stabilizing smectite shale may include treating a smectite shale in a subsurface formation with a dewatering fluid so as to yield a stabilized smectite shale, the dewatering fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a dewatering additive. In some instances, at least a portion of a highwall in a highwall mine may be formed at a highwall mine site comprising stabilized smectite shale.

Methods for strengthening smectite shale in highwall mines

Methods to control dewatering of confined, saturated formations in excavation mines may include treating a portion of an untreated smectite shale barrier with a dewatering fluid thereby yielding a treated smectite shale barrier, wherein the untreated smectite shale barrier is associated with a confined, saturated formation that comprises water, and wherein the dewatering fluid comprises an aqueous base fluid and a dewatering additive; and draining at least a portion of the water from the confined, saturated formation through the treated smectite shale barrier. In some instances, the dewatering additive may include potassium citrate and potassium nitrate each independently in a concentration of about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of the aqueous base fluid.

Controlled dewatering of confined, saturated formations in excavation mines

Methods of reducing the permeability of a subterranean formation to aqueous-based fluids using a water-soluble relative permeability modifier that comprises a hydrophobically modified polymer, wherein the hydrophobically modified polymer is a reaction product of: a hydrophilic polymer that comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyvinylamine, a poly(vinylamine/vinyl alcohol), and an alkyl acrylate polymer; and, a hydrophobic compound comprising at least one alkyl chain having a carbon chain length between about 4 and about 22 carbons. The water-soluble relative permeability modifier may be placed within a subterranean drilling operation such that the water-soluble relative permeability modifier attaches onto surfaces within the subterranean formation to effect permeability of aqueous fluids.

Modified bentonites for advanced foundry applications

A grouting composition for use in insulating a portion of a tubular located inside an enclosed conduit comprises: (A) an oil-swellable binding material comprising a organophilic clay; and (B) a hydrocarbon liquid, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (C) an insulating material comprising a hollow microsphere, 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.

Oil-based grouting composition with an insulating material

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) an oil-swellable binding material; and (ii) a hydrocarbon liquid, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (iii) an insulating material comprising a hollow microsphere; and (B) allowing or causing 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) an oil-swellable binding material comprising a organophilic clay; and (B) a hydrocarbon liquid, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is the continuous phase of the grouting composition; and (C) an insulating material comprising a hollow microsphere, 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.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Eric Frantz