The Dow Chemical Company

Thomas J Griffin, Jr

Dustin L Free

Earl F Morris

Roland L Root

Larry K Moran

A method of well completion is provided which enables much of the well casing to be later recovered from the well in the event the well is later abandoned, or where intermediate casing must be run during drilling of the well but may later be removed when the liner is in place. The well is completed by any of several embodiments of manipulative steps, leaving the lower portion of the annulus filled with a conventional cementitious material and the upper portion of the annulus filled with an aqueous gel comprising effective quantities of water, a water soluble alkali metal silicate, and a water soluble metal compound capable of releasing a multivalent metal cation to react with the water soluble silicate. An economically significant portion of the casing can thereafter be recovered if necessary after first severing the casing above that portion adjacent the set cementitious material. Where an intermediate string of casing is employed only to facilitate drilling the remainder of the well, the cement may be omitted with respect to the intermediate string as is known in the art.

Method of well completion with casing gel

The reaction product of a hydroxy ether and a pentavalent phosphorus compound with a short chain and/or long chain alcohol can be employed to gel organic liquids by mixing the reaction product with an organic liquid in the presence of certain aluminum activator compounds.

Method of fracturing with gelled organic liquids

Method of reducing friction loss

The reaction product of a hydroxy ether and a pentavalent phosphorus compound with a short chain and/or long chain alcohol can be employed to gel organic liquids by mixing the reaction product with an organic liquid in the presence of a multivalent metal cation.

Phosphate ester-type reaction product and method of preparing same

Gelling of organic liquids

A composition comprising water, a water soluble alkali metal silicate, and a water soluble metal compound capable of releasing a multivalent metal cation to react with the soluble silicate to form a pumpable gel is employed as a spacer for displacing a drilling mud from a borehole, particularly immediately preceding injection of a fluid, such as a cement slurry, containing compounds capable of detrimentally reacting with the mud. Optionally, the composition may contain one or more of: a water dispersible cellulose compound and an inert particulate which cooperate to provide fluid loss control; a chelating agent for polyvalent metal cations; a weighting material; a material to minimize lost circulation, and a salt to stabilize fresh water sensitive sandstones and shales.

Spacer composition and method of use

The reaction product of a hydroxy ether and a pentavalent phosphorous compound with a short chain and/or long chain alcohol can be employed to reduce friction loss of organic liquids flowing through a confining conduit by mixing the reaction product with the organic liquid in the presence of a basic multivalent metal salt activator.

Growing community of inventors

Sand Springs, OK, United States of America

Thomas J Griffin, Jr