This paper reviews the literature of polymer blends containing low and high molar mass liquid crystals. Low molar mass liquid crystals have been used as plasticizers for thermoplastic polymers and in applications such as electro-optics, optical recording media, and membranes. High molar mass liquid crystalline polymers have been primarily used in polymer blends as processing aids and as an incipient reinforcing phase for “self-reinforced” materials. This review discusses the phase behavior, rheology, and mechanical properties of these blends.

Polymer Blends Containing Liquid Crystals: A Review

A method for well treatment by forming a temporary plug in a fracture, a perforation, a wellbore, or more than one of these locations, in a well penetrating a subterranean formation is provided, in which the method of well treatment includes: injecting a slurry comprising a degradable material, allowing the degradable material to form a plug in a perforation, a fracture, or a wellbore in a well penetrating a formation; performing a downhole operation; and allowing the degradable material to degrade after a selected time such that the plug disappears.

Degradable material assisted diversion or isolation

Produced water (formation and injected water containing production chemicals) represents the largest volume waste stream in oil and gas production operations on most offshore platforms. In 2003, an estimated 667 million metric tons (about 800 million m3) of produced water were discharged to the ocean from offshore facilities throughout the world. There is considerable concern about the ocean disposal of produced water, because of the potential danger of chronic ecological harm. Produced water is a complex mixture of dissolved and particulate organic and inorganic chemicals in water that ranges from essentially freshwater to concentrated saline brine. The most abundant organic chemicals in most produced waters are water-soluble low molecular weight organic acids and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Concentrations of total PAH and higher molecular weight alkyl phenols, the main toxicants in produced water, typically range from about 0.040 to about 3 mg/L. The metals most frequently present in produced water at elevated concentrations, relative to those in seawater, include barium, iron, manganese, mercury, and zinc. Upon discharge to the ocean, produced water dilutes rapidly, often by 100-fold or more within 100 m of the discharge. The chemicals of greatest environmental concern in produced water, because their concentrations may be high enough to cause bioaccumulation and toxicity, include aromatic hydrocarbons, some alkylphenols, and a few metals. Marine animals near a produced water discharge may bioaccumulate metals, phenols, and hydrocarbons from the ambient water, their food, or bottom sediments. The general consensus of the International Produced Water Conference was that any effects of produced water on individual offshore production sites are likely to be minor. However, unresolved questions regarding aspects of produced water composition and its fate and potential effects on the ecosystem remain. Multidisciplinary scientific studies are needed under an ecosystem-based management (EBM) approach to provide information on the environmental fates (dispersion, precipitation, biological and abiotic transformation) and effects of chronic, low-level exposures to the different chemicals in produced water.

Produced Water: Overview of Composition, Fates, and Effects

The invention provides for modified proppants, comprising a proppant particle and a hydrogel coating, wherein the hydrogel coating localizes on the surface of the proppant particle to produce the modified proppant, methods of manufacturing such proppants and methods of use.

Self-suspending proppants for hydraulic fracturing

Review of integrity of existing wells in relation to CO2 geological storage: What do we know?

Evaluation of Cement Systems for Oil and Gas Well Zonal Isolation in a Full-Scale Annular Geometry

Herein is described a method of consolidating a subterranean formation or repairing a gravel pack, comprising (i) providing a consolidating fluid, wherein the consolidating fluid comprises a gel component and a gel-forming agent; and (ii) injecting the consolidating fluid into the formation or gravel pack, under conditions wherein the gel component forms a flexible gel, thereby consolidating the formation.

Sand consolidation with flexible gel systems

Nano-chemo-mechanical signature of conventional oil-well cement systems: Effects of elevated temperature and curing time

The addition of specific fibrous, platelet, and/or fibrous and platelet compositions in mixtures with particulates for or during well treatment procedures such as fracturing and gravel packing decreases or eliminates the undesirable transport or flowback of proppant or formation particulates. Novoloid and novoloid-type polymer material may be used for forming a porous pack in a subterranean formation.

Suspension and porous pack for reduction of particles in subterranean well fluids, and method for treating an underground formation

The present Invention relates to novel devices and methods to minimize the production of sand in subterranean environments; in particular, in poorly consolidated formations, sand is often co-produced along with the desired fluid (e.g., oil); sand production is undesirable, hence in the present Invention, elliptically shaped perforations of a particular orientation are created in the casing (or directly into the formation in the case of an uncased wellbore) that lines wellbore drilled through the formation, to improve near-wellbore stability of the formation, hence minimizing sand intrusion.

Simon James

Papers

Evaluation of Cement Systems for Oil and Gas Well Zonal Isolation in a Full-Scale Annular Geometry

Sand consolidation with flexible gel systems

Nano-chemo-mechanical signature of conventional oil-well cement systems: Effects of elevated temperature and curing time

Suspension and porous pack for reduction of particles in subterranean well fluids, and method for treating an underground formation

Optimum perforation design and technique to minimize sand intrusion