Patent ID: 8119575

Claim:
A method comprising: providing a gelled liquid hydrocarbon treatment fluid comprising a liquid hydrocarbon and a gelling agent that comprises a polyvalent metal salt of an organophosphinic acid, wherein the polyvalent metal salt of an organophosphinic acid is formed from a reaction of an activator composition that comprises a source of polyvalent metal ions and an organophosphinic acid, the organophosphinic acid having the formula: wherein R 1 or R 2 is a hydrocarbon group having about 1 to about 30 carbon atoms that comprises a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, cycloalkyl, alkyl ether, aryl ether, alkyl aryl ether, or a mixture thereof; and R 1 or R 2 is a hydrocarbon group having from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; and treating a portion of a subterranean formation with the gelled liquid hydrocarbon treatment fluid.