Producing proppants with nanoparticle proppant coatings includes reacting nanoparticles with at least one of an alkoxysilane solution or a halosilane solution to form functionalized nanoparticles and coating proppant particles with unfunctionalized organic resin, a strengthening agent, and the functionalized nanoparticles to produce the nanoparticle coated proppant. The functionalized nanoparticles include nanoparticles having at least one attached omniphobic moiety including at least a fluoroalkyl-containing group including 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctylsilane. The strengthening agent comprises at least one of carbon nanotubes, silica, alumina, mica, nanoclay, graphene, boron nitride nanotubes, vanadium pentoxide, zinc oxide, calcium carbonate, or zirconium oxide. Additionally, increasing a rate of hydrocarbon production from a subsurface formation through the use of the nanoparticle coated proppant includes producing a first rate of production of hydrocarbons from the subsurface formation, introducing a hydraulic fracturing fluid into the subsurface formation, and increasing hydrocarbon production by producing a second rate of production of hydrocarbons.

The subject invention provides microbe-based products, as well as their use to improve oil production and refining efficiency by, for example, remediating the disposable layers in oil tanks and other oil storage units. In preferred embodiments, the microbe-based products comprise biochemical-producing yeast and growth by-products thereof, such as, e.g., biosurfactants. The subject invention can be used to remediate rag layer and/or other dissolved solid layers that form in water-oil emulsions. Furthermore, the subject invention can be used for remediating solid impurities, such as sand, scale, rust and clay, in produced water, flow-back, brine, and/or fracking fluids.

The subject invention provides microbe-based products, as well as their use to improve oil production and refining efficiency by, for example, remediating the disposable layers in oil tanks and other oil storage units. In preferred embodiments, the microbe-based products comprise biochemical-producing yeast and growth by-products thereof, such as, e.g., biosurfactants. The subject invention can be used to remediate rag layer and/or other dissolved solid layers that form in water-oil emulsions. Furthermore, the subject invention can be used for remediating solid impurities, such as sand, scale, rust and clay, in produced water, flow-back, brine, and/or fracking fluids.

The present invention provides a multi-functional hybrid fracturing fluid system, comprising slick water and high viscosity sand carrying fluid, wherein the slick water contains 0.02%˜0.15% of friction-reducing agent by mass percentage, the high viscosity sand carrying fluid contains 0.2%˜0.75% of thickener by mass percentage; the friction-reducing agent and the thickener are the same associative polymer which is a modified natural associative polymer and/or an organic synthetic associative polymer.

Emulsions, treatment fluids and methods for treating subterranean formations are provided, wherein the emulsions comprise water, a water-immiscible liquid, one or more polymers, and an inverting surfactant composition comprising one or more salts of alkyl ether sulfates, one or more ethoxylated amine compounds and one or more organic or inorganic salts. The emulsions are particularly suitable for use in harsh brine conditions.

An oilwell treatment composition comprising (i) a solubilizing agent wherein the solubilizing agent comprises a saturated compound of the formula:

H—(OC.sub.aH.sub.2a).sub.x(OC.sub.bH.sub.2b).sub.y—OC.sub.cH.sub.2c+1

where a and b are each independently 1, 3, or 4; c is 1, 2 or 3; x and y each independently, are numbers ranging from 1 to 5; (ii) a solid acid precursor and (iii) an aqueous fluid wherein the mass ratio of the solubilizing agent to the aqueous solution is within the range of about 1:3 to about 1:5 and the mass ratio of the solubilizing agent to the solid acid precursor is within the range of about 3:1 to about 2:1.

A hydraulic fracture fluid is provided. The fluid can include a liquid solvent, one or more surfactants, a proppant-forming compound, and one or more curing agents. The liquid reacts to form proppant in-situ under downhole conditions.

Energy recovery medium for insertion into a ground hole in a ground comprising a recoverable energy carrying medium, wherein the energy recovery medium comprises a base liquid, a carbohydrate-based thickener mixed in the base liquid, a salt dissolved in the base liquid and configured for increasing a density of the base liquid, and proppant particles dispersed within the mixture of the base liquid, the thickener and the salt.

A fluid including: (i) a continuous aqueous phase, wherein the continuous aqueous phase has total dissolved solids in a concentration of at least 30,000 mg/l; (ii) an alkyl amido quaternary amine; (iii) a polymer, wherein the polymer is water-soluble or water-hydratable; and (iv) a crosslinker for the polymer. The continuous aqueous phase of the fluid can include a water source selected from the group consisting of flowback water, produced water, and any combination thereof. Methods include: (A) forming a fluid according to any of the various embodiments of the disclosure, and (B) introducing the fluid into a well. For example, the fluid can be used as a fracturing fluid for fracturing a treatment zone of a well.

Systems and methods for placing proppant in a portion of a subterranean formation (e.g., in a fracturing operation) using two or more immiscible fluids are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods comprise: introducing into a well bore penetrating a portion of a subterranean formation alternating stages of a first treatment fluid comprising one or more proppants, and a second treatment fluid comprising a lesser concentration of proppants than the first fluid, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are substantially immiscible in one another, and wherein the alternating stages of the first and second treatment fluids are introduced into the well bore at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance one or more fractures in the subterranean formation.