Texaco Inc.

Mark D Looney

Manuel Eduardo Gonzalez

Philip D Fader

Billy W Surles

Robert B Carpenter

Kerry D Savage

Vernon M Barnes, Jr

Arnold B Thigpen, Jr

Matthew J Riddiford

A molten metal plug which expands upon solidification can be used to form a pressure resistant seal in a tubular such as is used in oil and gas exploration and production.

Plug for tubulars

A method of fracturing a subterranean formation, in which subterranean formation being in fluid communication with the surface includes creating a fracture in said subterranean formation, said fracture having more than one fracture faces; and injecting into said fracture an encapsulated formation etching agent, wherein said encapsulated formation etching agent includes a formation etching agent and an encapsulating agent and wherein said formation etching agent etches the fracture faces of the fracture so as to form a flow channel in said formation. The formation etching agent may be selected from mineral acids and mixtures thereof, organic acids and mixtures thereof, mineral acids and mixtures of mineral acids mixed with gelling agent, organic acids and mixtures of organic acids mixed with gelling agent, water soluble hydroxides and mixtures of water soluble hydroxides, and water soluble hydroxides and mixtures of water soluble hydroxides mixed with gelling agent. The encapsulating agent may be a natural and synthetic oils, natural and synthetic polymers and enteric polymers and mixtures thereof.

Use of encapsulated acid in acid fracturing treatments

An improved method for preventing iron precipitation from a spent oil well acidizing solution is disclosed. The acidizing solution is preceded into the tubular goods and formation by the injection of an iron sensitive, acid insensitive acidified surfactant solution.

Method for acidizing oil producing formations

The disclosed invention is a method for improving the permeability of an underground hydrocarbon reservoir containing clay particles or other silaceous fines where damage has occurred or may occur. The method requires the injection into the hydrocarbon reservoir of an aqueous treating solution having a pH greater than about 12 and comprising about 2% to about 25% by weight of an alkali metal hydroxide. The invention also includes the injection of an aqueous buffer solution into the reservoir before, and optionally, after the injection of the treating solution. The before and after buffer solutions should have a pH greater than about 12 and comprise about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of alkali metal hydroxide and about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of alkali metal salt. The high pH aqueous buffer solutions maintain reaction products in solution, minimizing precipitation within the formation from the treating solution.

Method of formation permeability treatment with alkali metal hydroxide

A method which protects an RF applicator during the in-situ RF retorting of a hydrocarbon stratum from a borehole which traverses the hydrocarbon stratum including lining that portion of the borehole traversing the hydrocarbon stratum with a non-conductive high temperature material.

Method of protecting an RF applicator

A method or system for raising gas and liquid from a well used in in situ heating of a formation. Such heating may be done by radio frequency having an appropriate wave length in the earth e.g. about fifteen meters. The well has a production tube suspended from the well head. And, the method steps include sweeping the annulus with dry gas to drive the products up the production tube, at low flow. Also, another step is that of measuring the pressure differential between the annulus and the outlet of the production tube. And, another step is that of increasing the flow of the dry gas whenever the pressure differential exceeds a predetermined minimum. The increased flow is continued for an interval long enough to clear the liquid product that has risen in the tube and caused the differential pressure increase.

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Meadows Place, TX, United States of America

Mark D Looney