US 12,247,161 B2
Gel formation from reaction heating
Hamoud Alqahtani, Dhahran (SA); Zuhair Ali AlYousif, Dhahran (SA); Subhash Chandrabose Ayirala, Dhahran (SA); Muhammad Majid Almajid, Qatif (SA); and Ali Abdullah Al-Taq, Qatif (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on May 1, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/310,299.
Prior Publication US 2024/0368451 A1, Nov. 7, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 36/00 (2006.01); C09K 8/512 (2006.01); C09K 8/516 (2006.01); E21B 33/138 (2006.01)
CPC C09K 8/516 (2013.01) [C09K 8/512 (2013.01); E21B 33/138 (2013.01); E21B 36/008 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for sealing a flow pathway in a reservoir, comprising:
injecting a gel precursor solution directly into the flow pathway in a reservoir;
injecting a sodium nitrite solution proximate to and not directly into the flow pathway;
injecting an ammonium chloride solution proximate to and not directly into the flow pathway;
mixing the ammonium chloride solution and the sodium nitrite solution;
allowing the ammonium chloride solution and the sodium nitrite solution to react with each other to generate heat, thereby increasing the temperature of the reservoir proximate to the flow pathway; and
allowing the gel precursor solution to form a solid gel in the flow pathway.