Importance

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Abstract

Dewatering of coal seams for facilitating the production of gas therefrom through a well is effected by treating the coal seam utilizing a well treatment fluid containing a dewatering aid which both enhances the permeability of the formation to water production and binds tenaciously to the coal surface so that the permeability enhancement benefits are realized over a long production term. The preferred dewatering surfactants used in the treatment fluid and the process of treating the well are selected from a group consisting of: (a) organic surfactant compounds having the formula R.sub.1 --O([EO].sub.x --[PO]Y--[BO].sub.z)H wherein R.sub.1 is an alcohol, phenol or phenol derivative or a fatty acid having 1 to 16 carbon atoms; EO is an ethylene oxide radical and x is 1 to 20; PO is a propylene oxide radical and y is 0 to 15 and BO is a butylene oxide radical and z is 1-15; (b) an organic polyethylene carbonate having the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.2 is an alcohol having 7 to 16 carbon atoms and q is 7 to 16; (c) butoxylated glycols having 1 to 15 butylene oxide groups, and (d) ethoxylated-butoxylated glycols having 1 to 5 ethylene oxide groups and 5 to 10 butylene oxide groups. The well treatment fluid may be used in both fracturing and workover operations to enhance and maintain fracture conductivity over an extended period of production.

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First Claim