Non-aqueous slurries used as thickeners

Claim 2

A non-aqueous slurry suitable for use as a thickener or viscosifier in oil or gas drilling, fracturing, flow diversion, completion or workover aqueous fluids, which slurry consists essentially of: (1) from about 1 to about 60 weight percent of a hydroxyethyl substituted, water-soluble cellulose ether polymer; (2) from about 20 to about 95 weight percent of a water-insoluble liquid hydrocarbon; (3) from 1 to about 10 weight percent of a non-ionic surfactant having an HLB of from about 7 to 14, represented by the structural formula: R(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n OH wherein: R is an alkyl or aryl radical containing from 7 to about 20 carbon atoms, and n is from 1 to about 15; and (4) from 1 to about 4 weight percent of an organo modified colloidal clay.

Claim 3

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 1 which contains from about 30 to about 50 weight percent of the water-soluble cellulose ether polymer.

Claim 4

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 1 wherein said non-ionic surfactant has an HLB of from about 12 to 14.

Claim 5

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 1, wherein R is an alkyl of 11 to 15 carbon atoms and n is an integer of from 3 to 12.

Claim 6

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 1, wherein R is a nonyl substituted phenol and n has an average value of 10.5.

Claim 7

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claims 4 or 5 which contains about 50 weight percent of hydroxyethyl cellulose and about 2 weight percent of said surfactant.

Claim 8

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 1, wherein the water-insoluble hydrocarbon liquid is a petroleum based liquid hydrocarbon.

Claim 9

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 7, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is selected from mineral oil, kerosene, diesel fuel and naphthas.

Claim 10

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 1 which contains a thermal stabilizer selected from an alkaline earth metal oxide or hydroxide or an alkylene polyamine.

Claim 11

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 9, wherein the thermal stabilizer is an alkaline earth metal oxide or hydroxide.

Claim 12

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 10, wherein the stabilizer is Mg(OH) 2 or MgO.

Claim 13

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 9, wherein the amine is an alkylene polyamine.

Claim 14

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 12, wherein the alkylene polyamine contains 1 to 3 carbon atoms in the alkylene and the amine contains more than 2 nitrogen atoms.

Claim 15

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 13, wherein the alkylene polyamine is tetraethylene pentamine.

Claim 16

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claims 12 or 13 or 14 which contains from about 1 to about 10 weight percent of polyamine.

Claim 17

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claims 1 or 9 which contains a low molecular weight alcohol.

Claim 18

A non-aqueous slurry as defined in claim 16 wherein the alcohol is methanol.

Claim 19

A process for thickening oil or gas drilling, fracturing, flow diversion, completion or workover aqueous fluids which comprises adding to such fluids a non-aqueous slurry consisting essentially of: (1) from about 1 to about 60 weight percent of a hydroxyethyl substituted, water-soluble cellulose ether polymer; (2) from about 20 to about 95 weight percent of a water-insoluble liquid hydrocarbon; (3) from 1 to about 10 weight percent of a non-ionic surfactant having an HLB of from about 7 to 14, represented by the structural formula: R(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n OH wherein: R is an alkyl or aryl radical containing from about 7 to about 20 carbon atoms, and n is from about 1 to about 15; and (4) from 1 to about 4 weight percent of an organo modified colloidal clay.

Claim 20

A process for thickening oil or gas drilling, fracturing, flow diversion, completion or workover aqueous fluids which comprises adding to such fluids a non-aqueous slurry consisting essentially of: (1) from about 1 to about 60 weight percent of a hydroxyethyl substituted, water-soluble cellulose ether polymer; (2) from about 20 to about 95 weight percent of a water-insoluble liquid hydrocarbon; (3) from 1 to about 10 weight percent of a non-ionic surfactant having an HLB of from about 7 to 14, represented by the structural formula: R(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n OH wherein: R is an alkyl or aryl radical containing from about 7 to about 20 carbon atoms, and n is from about 1 to about 15; and (4) from 1 to about 4 weight percent of an organo modified colloidal clay.

Claim 21

A process as defined in claim 18 wherein the water-soluble cellulose ether polymer has a bulk density of from about 25 to about 35 lbs/ft 3 .

Claim 22

A process as defined in claim 18 which contains from about 30 to about 50 weight percent of the water-soluble cellulose ether polymer.

Claim 23

A process as defined in claim 18 wherein said non-ionic surfactant has an HLB of from about 12 to 14.

Claim 24

A process as defined in claim 18 wherein R is an alkyl of 11 to 15 carbon atoms and n is from 3 to 12.

Claim 25

A process as defined in claim 18 wherein R is a nonyl substituted phenol and n has an average value of 10.5.

Claim 26

A process as defined in claims 22 or 23 which contains about 50 weight percent of hydroxyethyl cellulose and about 2 weight percent of said surfactant.