Patent ID: 7947745

Claim:
A method for reducing the viscosity of a viscous fluid, said method being comprised of the steps of: contacting said viscous fluid, which is comprised of an aqueous liquid containing a gelling agent, with a water soluble material selected from one of lithium peroxide and a combination of lithium peroxide with a metal-containing compound, wherein said lithium peroxide is enclosed within a membrane which is water permeable and water insoluble, and maintaining said contacting for a time and at a temperature sufficient to reduce the viscosity of said viscous fluid; said metal-containing compound is represented by the general formula: M y Na x EDTA wherein, M is selected from chromium (II), chromium (III), copper (II), iron (II), iron (III), manganese (II), cobalt (II), nickel (II) and zinc (II), Na is sodium, EDTA represents the anion of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, y has a value in the range of from about 0.25 to about 2.0; x is greater than 0 and less than 4 and has a value equal to (4-ny) and n is the valence of M.