Described are tracer eluting proppants, such as proppants that have polymeric coatings on them that include tracers, such as a fluorescent dye. The tracer eluting proppants can comprise proppant particles coated with a polymeric coating that can elute tracer under some, but not all conditions. For example, the tracer can be eluted at elevated temperature, pH, and/or salinity conditions, but not elute at lower temperature, pH, and/or salinity conditions. Methods of making and using tracer eluting proppants are also disclosed, including methods for characterizing subterranean reservoirs.

The present application is directed to a nanocomposite organo gel having a continuous polymeric network structure, wherein polymer chains are held together by ionic interaction between polymer chain ends, interparticle chain entanglements, layered silicate surface modifier, ionic salt, and layered silicate. The present application is also directed to methods of making and using the nanocomposite organo gel.

Treatment fluids and associated methods for treating a subterranean formation. An example method includes introducing a treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating the subterranean formation. The treatment fluid includes an oleofuransulfonate surfactant; a treatment fluid additive capable of interaction with a cation; and an aqueous fluid. The cation is present in the treatment fluid or contacts the treatment fluid. The method further includes solvating the treatment fluid additive with the oleofuransulfonate surfactant.

The invention relates to a UV-initiated RAFT-type polymerization for producing hydrophobically associative terpolymers in an aqueous solution. The terpolymers produced by this method can be used as aqueous rheological modifiers. Specifically, the invention relates to a hydrophobically associating terpolymers and a method to produce same using a light initiated iniferter. The monomers used in the present invention are selected from: a monomer having a water-soluble monoethylenically unsaturated group; a monomer having an ionic water-soluble monoethylenically unsaturated group; and a monomer having a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer capable of forming hydrophobically associative bonds in aqueous medium. The iniferter is initiated with light of wavelength between 250-400 nm. The resultant terpolymer is produced in a cost-effective, simple, and one-step process and can be used to thicken aqueous mediums with less or equal amounts of polymer than currently available.

Process for producing aqueous polyacrylamide solutions by polymerizing an aqueous solution comprising at least acrylamide thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide gel and dissolving said aqueous polyacrylamide gel in water, wherein the manufacturing steps are allocated to two different locations A and B and the process comprises the step of transporting an aqueous polyacrylamide gel from a location A to a location B. Modular, relocatable plant for manufacturing aqueous polyacrylamide solutions wherein the units of the plant are located at two different locations A and B.

Provided are compositions and methods of using a liquid suspension of hollow particles comprising a plurality of hollow particles, water, a suspending aid, and a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of a non-ionic surfactant, a latex, an oleaginous fluid, porous silica, and combinations thereof. The liquid suspension is homogenous. An example method includes statically storing the liquid suspension in a container for at least one week; wherein the liquid suspension maintains a difference in density from the top of the container to the bottom of the container of less than one pound per gallon while stored. The method further includes adding the liquid suspension to a treatment fluid; wherein the liquid suspension reduces the density of the treatment fluid; and introducing the treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation.

The present invention relates to a method making it possible to ensure a gradual release of polymer chains within a liquid medium, said method comprising bringing said liquid medium into contact with specific solid objects formed by polymer chains soluble in the medium and carrying hydrophobic side groups ensuring physical crosslinking between said polymer chains within said solid objects.

The released chains may in particular be used as inhibitors of the formation of inorganic or organic deposits (scale inhibitors) within a liquid medium, typically in the field of oil extraction.

Systems and methods having friction reducer compositions for use in subterranean treatment fluids are presented. An embodiment is a method comprising: (A) forming a treatment fluid comprising: an aqueous base fluid, a friction reducer, and an alkaline buffering agent, wherein the treatment fluid has a pH in the range of about 7 to about 10; and (B) injecting the treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance one or more fractures within the subterranean formation.

Systems and methods include using a fracture fluid downhole for fracturing a formation. The method includes providing an aqueous solution comprising dissolved solids at a certain ionic strength, and adding a proppant to create a fracture fluid. The method continues by adding a polymeric additive and a surfactant to the fracture fluid, wherein the polymeric additive comprises friction reducing capabilities that can be decreased by the ionic strength present in the fracture fluid (i.e., ionic strength originally found in the water). The addition of the polymeric additive and the surfactant to the fracture fluid creates an enhanced fracture fluid, wherein the surfactant increases the performance of the friction reducing capabilities of the polymeric additive in the enhanced fracture fluid, which provides a more efficient fracturing operation. The method concludes by pumping the enhanced fracture fluid downhole for a more efficient fracture of the formation.

Compositions and methods for use in subterranean treatment fluids involving thermoassociative polymers are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a treatment fluid that includes an aqueous base fluid, one or more thermoassociative polymers that include a water soluble polymeric backbone having one or more hydrophobic moieties attached to the polymer backbone, wherein the thermoassociative polymer exhibits thermoassociation at a first temperature T.sub.assoc, and one or more tuning additives that changes the temperature at which at least one of the thermoassociative polymers exhibits thermoassociation from T.sub.assoc to a second temperature T.sub.assoc′; and introducing the treatment fluid into a portion of a subterranean formation.