Abstract

This invention is broadly concerned with compositions and processes for oilfield applications. More specifically, this invention relates to novel polymer constructed packages that, when pumped into a petroleum well, provide tunable characteristics of transformation and delayed self-assembly with each other under reservoir conditions to yield strong, elastic, bulk gel materials. The compositions comprise a polymer, assembling agents, and optional additives used for the re-assembly stage are uniformly-distributed within the initial gel particles. The polymer particle packages absorb water and swell upon exposure to water, thus exposing the "assembling agents" that enable re-assembly. Both swelling and re-assembly are proportionally controlled via compositions to be tunable to allow functional dispersion and subsequent self-assembly under various reservoir conditions.

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Second Department

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Third Department

Chemistry

Fourth Department

Materials Science and Engineering

Comments

Docket Number: 16MST026-DIV

Filing Date: 08/30/2021

Issue Date: 01/10/2023, FY23

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Prior Publication Data:

US 2022/0033703 A1 February 3, 2022

Patent Application Number

17/460,925

Patent Number

US 11,549,048 B2

Document Type

Patent

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2026 The Curators of the University of Missouri, All rights reserved

Additional Rights Information

Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri (US)

Publication Date

10 January, 2023

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