Plugging of permeable earth formations

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE DRILLING OF A WELL BOREHOLE INTO THE EARTH WHEREIN CUTTINGS ARE REMOVED FROM SAID WELL BOREHOLE DURING DRILLING BY PUMPING A GAS UNDER PRESSURE TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID WELL BOREHOLE AND THENCE UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID WELL BOREHOLE TO THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH AND WATER WITHIN A PERMEABLE FORMATION FLOWS INTO SAID WELL BOREHOLE FROM SAID FORMATION AND INTERFERES WITH THE REMOVAL OF SAID CUTTINGS FROM SAID WELL BOREHOLE, THE PROCESS FOR REDUCING THE FLOW OF SAID WATER INTO SAID WELL BOREHOLE FROM SAID FORMATION COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) INTRODUCING INTO SAID FORMATION AN ESTER OF TITANIUM, (B) MAINTAINING SAID ESTER OF TITANIUM WITHIN SAID FORMATION FOR A PERIOD WHICH IS AT LEAST ONE-HALF HOUR, AND (C) FORMING BY REACTION OF SAID ESTER OF TITANIUM WITH SAID WATER WITHIN SAID FORMATION AN AMORPHOUS, GELATINOUS PRECIPITATE WITHIN SAID FORMATION WHICH RESTRICTS FLOW OF WATER FROM SAID FORMATION INTO SAID WELL BOREHOLE.