This disclosure provides drilling fluids and additives as well as fracturing fluids and additives that contain cellulose nanofibers and/or cellulose nanocrystals. In some embodiments, hydrophobic nanocellulose is provided which can be incorporated into oil-based fluids and additives. These water-based or oil-based fluids and additives may further include lignosulfonates and other biomass-derived components. Also, these water-based or oil-based fluids and additives may further include enzymes. The drilling and fracturing fluids and additives described herein may be produced using the AVAP® process technology to produce a nanocellulose precursor, followed by low-energy refining to produce nanocellulose for incorporation into a variety of drilling and fracturing fluids and additives.

Disclosed herein are drilling fluid compositions suitable for use, for example, in drilling a well bore through a subterranean formation and other oil and gas operations. The drilling fluid compositions of the present disclosure include the condensation product of a trifunctional amine and a fatty acid and an oil base fluid. The present disclosure also described processes for preparing drilling fluid compositions.

Processes are described for isomerizing one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins to produce an isomerization mixture comprising one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 internal olefins comprising contacting an olefinic feed comprising the one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins with a catalyst under isomerization conditions, wherein the catalyst comprises a microporous crystalline aluminosilicate having an MWW framework. The resulting isomerization mixture typically exhibits a low pour point with maintained biodegradability properties as compared to the olefinic feed, and is particularly useful in drilling fluid and paper sizing compositions.

A method of increasing a solubility of a manganese oxide includes contacting the manganese oxide with an acid component in the presence of a dissolution accelerator that includes at least one of hydrazine, a hydrazine derivative, or a hydrazide. Also disclosed is a drilling fluid containing a carrier; MnO.sub.2; and at least one of a viscosifier, a rheology modifier, a dispersant, a weighting agent, a defoamer, a fluid loss agent, bentonite, or a lubricant.

An electrocrushing drilling system containing an electrocrushing drill bit with electrodes through which a voltage may be discharged that are at least 0.4 inches apart at their closest spacing and an electrocrushing drilling fluid including a polar oil, a non-polar oil, or a combination thereof and water are described. Methods of electrocrushing drilling using such a system are also described.

An electrocrushing drilling system containing an electrocrushing drill bit with electrodes through which a voltage may be discharged that are at least 0.4 inches apart at their closest spacing and an electrocrushing drilling fluid including a polar oil, a non-polar oil, or a combination thereof and water are described. Methods of electrocrushing drilling using such a system are also described.

Compositions and methods for prevention and reduction of iron sulfide scale formation, one method including detecting at least one component indicative of an iron sulfide scale precursor, the at least one component selected from the group consisting of: H.sub.2S; HS.sup.−; S.sup.2−; S.sub.n.sup.2−; FeS.sub.(aq); Fe.sup.2+; Fe.sup.3+, and combinations of the same; preparing a composition to react with the iron sulfide scale precursor, the composition comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: a methylating agent; a metal operable to react with sulfide species; a compound to increase the oxidation state of Fe.sup.2+; and combinations of the same; and applying the composition to the iron sulfide scale precursor to consume the iron sulfide scale precursor.

Compositions and methods for prevention and reduction of iron sulfide scale formation, one method including detecting at least one component indicative of an iron sulfide scale precursor, the at least one component selected from the group consisting of: H.sub.2S; HS.sup.−; S.sup.2−; S.sub.n.sup.2−; FeS.sub.(aq); Fe.sup.2+; Fe.sup.3+, and combinations of the same; preparing a composition to react with the iron sulfide scale precursor, the composition comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: a methylating agent; a metal operable to react with sulfide species; a compound to increase the oxidation state of Fe.sup.2+; and combinations of the same; and applying the composition to the iron sulfide scale precursor to consume the iron sulfide scale precursor.

A non-linear surfactant, and particularly a non-linear surfactant comprising bi-functionalized molecules or particles having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups. The non-linear surfactant includes a nanoparticle template of a rigid molecular structure, wherein the nanoparticle comprises a molecule or a particle that is bi-functionalized with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups to obtain an amphiphilic nanoparticle. The template nanoparticle can be used as a surfactant, wetting agent, emulsifier, detergent or other surface active agents or for the preparation of nanoemulsions or dispersions. The non-linear surfactant can provide smaller particle sizes for emulsion suspensions and foams.

A slurry composition comprising: a base oil; a nonionic surfactant; a hydrophilic polymer; and a mixed branched alkyl organoclay composition comprising: a phyllosilicate clay; and a mixture of quaternary ammonium ions, each ion having a formula of [N—R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3R.sup.4].sup.+ wherein, within such mixture of quaternary ammonium ions, one or more of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is each a mixture of branched alkyl groups, each branched alkyl group having 12 to 22 total carbon atoms, a linear backbone and one or more C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 branching alkyl groups each attached to the linear backbone at a branching carbon position, and within each quaternary ammonium ion and within the mixture of branched alkyl groups, the C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 branching alkyl groups are linked to the linear backbones at different branching carbon positions as a distribution; and wherein when one or more of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is not a branched alkyl group, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are a first linear alkyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms, wherein R.sup.4 is selected from the group consisting of a second linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an aryl group, and combinations thereof.