Composition and method for treating a subterranean formation

Claim 2

An aqueous composition suitable for treating a subterranean formation comprising: a. from 1 to 100 kilograms per cubic meter of a hydratable polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, polysaccharide derivatives, polyacrylamides, polyacrylamide copolymers, and mixtures thereof, b. from 1 to 20 parts by weight of a peroxygen compound selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, potassium dipersulfate, ammonium and alkali metal salts of monopersulfuric acid, ammonium and alcohol metal salts of dipersulfuric acid, tertiary butylhydroperoxide and mixtures thereof per hundred parts by weight of said hydratable polymeric material, said peroxygen compound being capable of generating free radicals, thereby reducing the viscosity of said aqueous composition, and c. from 0.01 to 5 parts by weight of a free radical scavenger selected from the group consisting of unsaturated alcohols containing six or less carbon atoms, phenols, allylic monomers, and mixtures thereof per hundred parts by weight of the peroxygen compound in the aqueous composition.

Claim 3

The aqueous composition of claim 1 wherein the free radical scavenger is allyl alcohol.

Claim 4

The aqueous composition of claim 1 wherein the peroxygen compound is hydrogen peroxide.

Claim 5

The aqueous composition of claim 2 wherein the peroxygen compound is hydrogen peroxide.

Claim 6

The aqueous composition of claim 1 wherein the aqueous composition also contains a cross-linking agent for said hydratable polymeric material.

Claim 7

The aqueous composition of claim 2 wherein the aqueous composition also contains a cross-linking agent for said hydratable polymeric material.

Claim 8

The aqueous composition of claim 3 wherein the aqueous composition also contains a cross-linking agent for said hydratable polymeric material.

Claim 9

The aqueous composition of claim 4 wherein the aqueous composition also contains a cross-linking agent for said hydratable polymeric material.

Claim 10

The aqueous composition of claim 5 wherein the aqueous composition also contains a cross-linking agent for acid hydratable polymeric material.

Claim 11

The aqueous composition of claim 6 wherein the aqueous composition also contains a cross-linking agent for acid hydratable polymeric material.

Claim 12

In a process of treating a subterranean formation by contacting said subterranean formation with an aqueous composition wherein said aqueous composition contains from 1 to 100 kilograms per cubic meter of a hydratable polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, polysaccharide derivatives, polyacrylamides, polyacrylamide copolymers, and mixtures thereof, and from 1 to 20 parts by weight of a peroxygen compound selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, potassium dipersulfate, ammonium and alkali metal salts of monopersulfuric acid, ammonium and alkali metal salts of dipersulfuric acid, tertiary butylhydroperoxide and mixtures thereof per hundred parts of said hydratable polymeric material, said peroxygen compound being capable of generating free radicals, thereby reducing the viscosity of said aqueous composition, the improvement which comprises said aqueous composition also contains from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a free radical scavenger selected from the group consisting of unsaturated alcohols containing six or less carbon atoms, phenols, allylic monomers, and mixtures thereof per hundred parts by weight of the peroxygen compound in the aqueous composition.

Claim 13

In a process of treating a subterranean formation by contacting said subterranean formation with an aqueous composition wherein said aqueous composition contains from 1 to 100 kilograms per cubic meter of a hydratable polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, polysaccharide derivatives, polyacrylamides, polyacrylamide copolymers, and mixtures thereof, and from 1 to 20 parts by weight of a peroxygen compound selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, potassium dipersulfate, ammonium and alkali metal salts of monopersulfuric acid, ammonium and alkali metal salts of dipersulfuric acid, tertiary butylhydroperoxide and mixtures thereof per hundred parts of said hydratable polymeric material, said peroxygen compound being capable of generating free radicals, thereby reducing the viscosity of said aqueous composition, the improvement which comprises said aqueous composition also contains from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a free radical scavenger selected from the group consisting of unsaturated alcohols containing six or less carbon atoms, phenols, allylic monomers, and mixtures thereof per hundred parts by weight of the peroxygen compound in the aqueous composition.

Claim 14

The process of claim 11 wherein the peroxygen compound is hydrogen peroxide.

Claim 15

The process of claim 11 wherein the free radical scavenger is allyl alcohol.

Claim 16

The process of claim 12 wherein the free radical scavenger is allyl alcohol.

Claim 17

The aqueous composition of claim 1 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 18

The aqueous composition of claim 2 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 19

The aqueous composition of claim 3 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 20

The aqueous composition of claim 4 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 21

The aqueous composition of claim 5 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 22

The aqueous composition of claim 6 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 23

The aqueous composition of claim 7 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 24

The aqueous composition of claim 8 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 25

The aqueous composition of claim 9 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 26

The aqueous composition of claim 10 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 27

The process of claim 11 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 28

The process of claim 12 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 29

The process of claim 13 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 30

The process of claim 14 wherein the free radical scavenger is capable of complexing a metal ion.

Claim 31

The aqueous composition of claim 1 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenanthroline.

Claim 32

The aqueous composition of claim 2 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenanthroline.

Claim 33

The aqueous composition of claim 3 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 34

The aqueous composition of claim 4 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 35

The aqueous composition of claim 5 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 36

The aqueous composition of claim 6 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 37

The aqueous composition of claim 7 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 38

The aqueous composition of claim 8 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 39

The aqueous composition of claim 9 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 40

The aqueous composition of claim 10 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 41

The process of claim 11 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 42

The process of claim 12 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 43

The process of claim 13 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenathroline.

Claim 44

The process of claim 14 wherein the free radical scavenger is selected from the group consisting of allyl alcohol, catechol, and 1,10-orthophenanthroline.