Patent ID: 6818594
Filing Date: 2004-11-16
Classification: C09K,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of degrading a predetermined substrate used for hydrocarbon exploitation comprising:providing a fluid or a solid, or a mixture thereof, containing a substrate-degrading agent inactivated by encapsulation, said inactivated substrate-degrading agent initially being substantially inactive, and subsequently becoming active in response to a predetermined triggering signal; and applying the triggering signal to said fluid or solid or mixture thereof such that said substrate-degrading agent becomes activated, the activated substrate-degrading agent being capable of at least partially degrading the substrate, said triggering signal selected from the group consisting of exposure to a reducing agent, oxidizer, chelating agent, radical initiator, carbonic acid, ozone, chlorine, bromine, peroxide, electric current, ultrasound, change in pH, change in salinity, change in ion concentration, reversal of wellbore pressure-differential, and combinations thereof.