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Abstract

Method for treating earthen formations which contain water-sensitive, finely divided particulate matter wherein there is injected into the formation steam or a mixture of steam and hot water containing an effective fines-stabilizing amount of a compound containing ammoniacal nitrogen selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide, an ammonium salt of an inorganic acid, an ammonium salt of a carboxylic acid, ammonium cyanate, derivatives of ammonium cyanate, ammonium thiocyanate, and a water-soluble ammonia or ammonium ion precursor selected from the group consisting of amides of carbamic acid and thiocarbamic acid, derivatives of such amides, tertiary carboxylic acid amides and their substituted and akylated derivatives. Preferred additives include ammonium carbonate and urea. If the formation is a subsurface oil-containing formation, the treatment can be part of a method for enhanced oil recovery.

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