A method for reducing water production from a hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formation includes identifying a high permeability zone in the formation and injecting a dense CO.sub.2 composition from a production well into the high permeability zone. The dense CO.sub.2 composition includes dense CO.sub.2 and a thickener soluble in the dense CO.sub.2. The thickener includes a copolymer that is the polymerized reaction product of monomers that include at least one alkenyl ether or dialkenyl ether monomer, at least one acrylate or methacrylate monomer, at least one structural monomer, and at least one allyl ester monomer. After injecting the dense CO.sub.2 composition into the high permeability zone, the method includes withdrawing hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formation through the production well. The dense CO.sub.2 composition blocks pores in the high permeability zone to reduce or prevent flow of water from the high permeability zone into the production well.

A method for reducing water production from a hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formation includes identifying a high permeability zone in the formation and injecting a dense CO.sub.2 composition from a production well into the high permeability zone. The dense CO.sub.2 composition includes dense CO.sub.2 and a thickener soluble in the dense CO.sub.2. The thickener includes a copolymer that is the polymerized reaction product of monomers that include at least one alkenyl ether or dialkenyl ether monomer, at least one acrylate or methacrylate monomer, at least one structural monomer, and at least one allyl ester monomer. After injecting the dense CO.sub.2 composition into the high permeability zone, the method includes withdrawing hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formation through the production well. The dense CO.sub.2 composition blocks pores in the high permeability zone to reduce or prevent flow of water from the high permeability zone into the production well.

This invention relates to a process of enhanced oil recovery by sweeping an underground formation comprising injecting into the underground formation an injection fluid comprising at least one water-soluble LCST macromonomeric polymer.

This invention relates to a process of enhanced oil recovery by sweeping an underground formation comprising injecting into the underground formation an injection fluid comprising at least one water-soluble LCST macromonomeric polymer.

The present invention relates to a process for extracting a crude oil from a rock formation containing it, comprising the following steps: (i) a first step of forced injection of a modified alkylphenol-aldehyde resin into the rock formation containing a crude oil, then (ii) a second step of extracting the crude oil from the rock formation.

The present invention relates to a process for extracting a crude oil from a rock formation containing it, comprising the following steps: (i) a first step of forced injection of a modified alkylphenol-aldehyde resin into the rock formation containing a crude oil, then (ii) a second step of extracting the crude oil from the rock formation.

Described herein are methods of treating fluid comprising hydrocarbons, water, and polymer being produced from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation are provided. The method can include adding a concentration of a viscosity reducer to the fluid to degrade the polymer present in the fluid and adding a concentration of a neutralizer to the fluid to neutralize the viscosity reducer in the fluid. The viscosity reducer is buffered at a pH of 7 or less (e.g., at a pH of from 2 to 7, such as at a pH of from 3.5 to 7, or at a pH of from 5 to 7). The addition of the concentration of the viscosity reducer is in a sufficient quantity to allow for complete chemical degradation of the polymer prior to the addition of the concentration of the neutralizer in the fluid such that excess viscosity reducer is present in the fluid. The addition of the concentration of the neutralizer is sufficiently upstream of any surface fluid processing equipment to allow for complete neutralization of the excess viscosity reducer such that excess neutralizer is present in the fluid prior to the fluid reaching any of the surface fluid processing equipment.

Described herein are methods of treating fluid comprising hydrocarbons, water, and polymer being produced from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation are provided. The method can include adding a concentration of a viscosity reducer to the fluid to degrade the polymer present in the fluid and adding a concentration of a neutralizer to the fluid to neutralize the viscosity reducer in the fluid. The viscosity reducer is buffered at a pH of 7 or less (e.g., at a pH of from 2 to 7, such as at a pH of from 3.5 to 7, or at a pH of from 5 to 7). The addition of the concentration of the viscosity reducer is in a sufficient quantity to allow for complete chemical degradation of the polymer prior to the addition of the concentration of the neutralizer in the fluid such that excess viscosity reducer is present in the fluid. The addition of the concentration of the neutralizer is sufficiently upstream of any surface fluid processing equipment to allow for complete neutralization of the excess viscosity reducer such that excess neutralizer is present in the fluid prior to the fluid reaching any of the surface fluid processing equipment.

The instant application relates to nanogels or compositions that hold multivalent metal ions until some level of nanogel degradation has occurred, then slowly release the multivalent metal ions for gelation with carboxylate containing polymers. Compositions comprising such nanogels, together with polymers that can be crosslinked with multivalent metal ions, allow the deployment of such mixtures in various applications, and greatly increased gelation times.

The instant application relates to nanogels or compositions that hold multivalent metal ions until some level of nanogel degradation has occurred, then slowly release the multivalent metal ions for gelation with carboxylate containing polymers. Compositions comprising such nanogels, together with polymers that can be crosslinked with multivalent metal ions, allow the deployment of such mixtures in various applications, and greatly increased gelation times.