Increasing the flow of fluids through a permeable formation

Abstract

Method for treating a formation, particularly one containing finely divided particulate material, to increase the flow of fluids through the formation wherein there is injected therein an organosilicon compound, preferably in a hydrocarbon carrier liquid, followed by injection of steam containing a compound which contains ammoniacal nitrogen, selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide, ammonium salts of inorganic acids, ammonium salts of carboxylic acids, quaternary ammonium halides, amine or substituted amine hydrochlorides, derivatives of ammonium cyanate, and water-soluble ammonia or ammonium ion precursors selected from the group consisting of amides of carbamic acid and thiocarbamic acid, derivatives of such amides, tertiary carboxylic acid amides and their substituted and alkylated derivatives. A preferred nitrogen-containing compound is urea.