Disclosed are compositions and methods for the pressure protection of existing wells during infill drilling operations.

Compositions and methods for use in treating hydrocarbon liquids are provided. Specifically, the compositions and methods of the present disclosure relate to additives including betaine and one or more organic acids. In some embodiments, an additive comprising betaine and an organic acid may be added to a hydrocarbon liquid. In certain embodiments, the additive may be added to a hydrocarbon liquid prior to a processing operation.

A fracturing fluid can include: a base fluid, wherein the base fluid comprises water; proppant; a friction reducer; and a friction reducer enhancer, wherein the friction reducer enhancer is a surfactant. The friction reducer enhancer can be in a concentration greater than or equal to a critical micelle concentration. Methods of fracturing a subterranean formation can include introducing the fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation. The friction reducer enhancer can increase the hydration rate of the friction reducer, whereby friction reduction of the fracturing fluid can occur much faster than without the friction reducer enhancer.

Proppant particulates are commonly used in hydraulic fracturing operations to maintain one or more fractures in an opened state following the release of hydraulic pressure. In complex fracture networks, it can be difficult to deposit proppant particulates fully within the fractures. In addition, low crush strengths may result in problematic fines formation. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons, commonly encountered in various refinery process streams, may serve as an advantageous precursor to proppant particulates. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons may undergo crosslinking under acid-catalyzed conditions in an aqueous solvent in the presence of a surfactant to form substantially spherical particulates that may serve as effective proppant particulates during fracturing operations. In situ formation of the proppant particulates may take place in some cases.

A novel surfactant composition that comprises of two surfactant components, a solvent, and water. The surfactant composition is added to a fracturing fluid, which is then pumped downhole into a subterranean formation where the novel characteristics of the fracturing fluid lend to improved oil production over the fracturing fluid without the surfactant composition.

The present invention provides environmentally-friendly compositions and methods for degrading polymers used in fracking operations to enhance the recovery of oil and gas. Specifically, the compositions and methods utilized microorganisms and/or their growth by-products to degrade polymers, such as PGA, PLA and PAM, used in fracking wells.

Methods for the fracking or stimulation of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation are provided in multiple embodiments. According to one method, it comprises the steps of: providing a wellbore having a casing; inserting a plug in the wellbore at a predetermined location; inserting a perforating tool and an acidic composition into the wellbore; wherein the acidic composition includes a corrosion inhibiting composition comprising at least two compounds selected from: Group A-I, and wherein at least two compounds are selected from different groups of the Groups A-I.

The anionic cocogem surfactant of formula (I) for an oil production process of increased efficiency ##STR00001##
wherein each R1 and R2 is independently selected from hydrogen or C1-C18 straight or branched alkyl optionally substituted by OH; each R3 is independently selected from hydrogen; C1-C25 straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl optionally comprising inter-chain amido-group; aromatic group optionally substituted by C1-C25, preferably C5-C20, more preferably C5-C15 straight or branched alkyl, preferably selected from phenyl and diphenylether; or C10-C20 straight or branched alkenyl, alkadienyl or alkatrienyl; Z is C1-C18 straight or branched alkylene optionally substituted by one or two C1-C6 alkyl or preferably C3-C6 cycloalkyl, optionally comprising (EO).sub.n and/or (PO).sub.m groups, wherein EO is ethylene-oxide i.e. —CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O—, and PO is propylene-oxide, i.e. —CH(CH.sub.3)CH.sub.2O—, wherein n and m is independently an integer of from 0 to 30 and n+m is an integer of from 1 to 30; and/or [NH(R4)].sup.+ quaternary ammonium, wherein R4 is hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, preferably methyl or ethyl; R5 is hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl, preferably methyl or ethyl; An is one or more groups selected from SO.sub.3.sup.−, Cl.sup.− or CO.sub.2.sup.−; i is an integer of 0 or 1; p is an integer of 2 or 3; j is an integer of 2 or 3.

The invention includes methods for stimulating a hydrocarbon-bearing formation by perforating a wellbore and introducing an acidic composition in the wellbore. A preferred embodiment includes inserting an isolation plug in the wellbore at a predetermined location followed by inserting a perforating tool and a breakdown acid into the wellbore. The wellbore is perforated by the tool to create a perforated area. The breakdown acid is allowed to come into contact with the perforated area for a predetermined period of time sufficient to prepare the formation for stimulation. The tool is then removed from the wellbore wherein stimulation of the perforated area is thereby initiated. Also disclosed is a corrosion inhibiting composition for use with the acidic composition.

Compositions and methods using subterranean treatment fluids comprising water-soluble polymers are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include: adding an anionic or amphoteric water-soluble polymer to a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid; adding a dewatering agent to the treatment fluid, wherein the dewatering agent comprises an aqueous phase, a solvent, a co-solvent, and one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of: ethoxylated alcohol, a polyamine polyether, a resin alkoxylated oligomer, and any combination thereof; and introducing the treatment fluid into a well bore penetrating at least a portion of the subterranean formation.