Patent ID: 7624743

Claim:
A method for increasing the temperature of a section of conduit used for the production or transmission of hydrocarbon, the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a treatment fluid comprising: (i) a carrier fluid; and (ii) a first reactant and a second reactant, wherein: (1) the first reactant and second reactant are selected for being capable of reacting together in an exothermic chemical reaction; (2) the first and second reactant are in at least sufficient concentrations in the carrier fluid to generate a theoretical heat of reaction of at least 1,000 kJ/liter of the treatment fluid; and (3) at least some of at least one of the first reactant and the second reactant is suspended in the carrier fluid in a solid form that is adapted to help control the initial release of the reactant into the carrier fluid and wherein the solid form is adapted to help control the release so that (a) less than 50% of the total heat of the reaction is generated within any 1 hour period; and (b) greater than 50% of the total heat of the reaction is generated within a period of at most 6 hours; and (b) introducing the treatment fluid into a section of conduit used for the production or transmission of hydrocarbon.