1. A storable suspension comprising:
(i) xanthan gum or a xanthan variant;
(ii) a polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of hydrophilic polymers and natural gums (exclusive of xanthan).
(iii) an ultra lightweight (ULW) particulate having an apparent specific gravity less than or equal to 2.45; and
(iv) water.
2. The storable suspension of claim 1, wherein the suspension does not exhibit settling for at least three days.
3. The storable suspension of claim 2, wherein the suspension exhibits less than 10% settling after seven days.
4. The storable suspension of claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the carrier fluid at 0.1 sec\u22121 is between from about 4,000 to about 30,000 cP.
5. The storable suspension of claim 1, wherein the xanthan is an unmodified xanthan gum.
6. The storable suspension of claim 1, wherein the polysaccharide is selected from the group consisting of like guar, carrageenan, gum Arabic, gum ghatti, karaya, tragacanth, pectin, starch, locust bean gum, scleroglucan, tamarind and derivatives thereof.
7. The storable suspension of claim 6, wherein the polysaccharide is selected from the group consisting of guar gum, hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethyl guar, carboxymethyl hydroxypropyl guar, carboxymethyl hydroxypropyl guar.
8. The storable suspension of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of polysaccharide:xanthan is from about 8:1 to about 1:8.
9. The storable suspension of claim 8, wherein the weight ratio of polysaccharide:xanthan is from about 4:1 to about 1:1.
10. The storable suspension of claim 1, wherein the xanthan variant is selected from the group consisting of non-acetylated xanthan gum, non-pyruvylated xanthan gum and non-acetylated-non-pyruvylated xanthan gum.
11. The storable suspension of claim 1, wherein the ULW particulate has an apparent specific gravity less than or equal to 1.75.
12. The storable suspension of claim 11, wherein the ULW particulate has an apparent specific gravity less than 1.25.
13. The storable suspension of claim 1, wherein the ULW particulate is at least one particulate selected from the group consisting of ground or crushed nut shells, ground or crushed seed shells, ground or crushed fruit pits, processed wood, or a mixture thereof, optionally at least partially surrounded by at least one layer of a protective or hardening coating.
14. The storable suspension of claim 1, wherein the ULW particulate is at least one particulate selected from the group consisting of porous ceramics, organic polymeric materials and well treating aggregates, optionally treated with a non-porous penetrating, coating andor glazing material.
15. The storable suspension of claim 1, further comprising a complexing agent.
16. The storable suspension of claim 1, wherein the particulate is a proppant.
16. A method of treating a hydrocarbon-bearing subterranean formation which comprises
(A) formulating the storable suspension of claim 1;
(B) storing the storable suspension until required for treatment of the subterranean formation; and
(C) pumping the suspension into the subterranean formation.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein, prior to step (C), the storable suspension is diluted with water.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein, prior to step (C), adding to the suspension a foaming agent and a gas or gaseous liquid.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the foaming agent is added to the suspension in an amount sufficient to render a foam quality between from about 30 to about 98.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the foaming agent is an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of alpha-olefin sulfonates and alkyl ether sulfates or an ammonium salt thereof.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the anionic surfactant is an alkylpolyether sulfate contains between from about 8 to about 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl ether moiety.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the anionic surfactant is an ammonium ether sulfate.
23. A method of hydraulically fracturing a hydrocarbon-bearing subterranean formation which comprises
(A) formulating the storable suspension of claim 1 by adding the xanthan gum or xanthan gum variant and polysaccharide to the water to create a suspension and introducing the ultra lightweight particulate as proppant to the suspension;
(B) storing the storable fracturing suspension until required for fracturing; and
(C) pumping the fracturing suspension into the subterranean formation.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. Apparatus comprising:
an information reader at a first location for reading information from a driver license issued by an issuing jurisdiction, said information having a predetermined format corresponding to said jurisdiction; and
first circuitry at said first location for receiving the information read from the driver license and determining whether the read information read comports with said predetermined format, said first circuitry also outputting the information read to a remote location for further processing, said remote location being connected to said first location via a signal path.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the driver license includes machine readable information readable by said information reader.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the driver license includes human intelligible information readable by said information reader.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the driver license is provided by a bearer at the first location and wherein said first circuitry provides a first output when it determines that the read information conforms to the predetermined format, and a second output when such information does not, and said apparatus further including a display at said first location for displaying the first result and the second result.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signal path is a telephone communication link.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first circuitry includes a CPU for determining that the read information conforms to said predetermined format.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the further processing relates to determining whether an individual identified by the read information is a criminal law offender.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the further processing relates to determining whether an individual identified by the read information is an organ donor.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the driver license is presented by a bearer at the first location in connection with a credit card purchase by the bearer and the further processing checks that individual identified by the information on the driver license is authorized to use the credit card.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said information reader is a bar code reader.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said information reader is a magnetic stripe reader.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the information reader is a digital scanner.
13. A method for use in a transaction comprising the steps of:
receiving a credit card having authorized users along with another document, other than a credit card, at a first location, said another document being issued by an issuer and having information identifying an individual;
reading information from said document at said first location, and
sending the read information to a remote location via a signal path for further processing;
receiving results of the further processing at said first location, said results indicating whether or not said individual is an authorized user.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the information on the document is arranged in a predetermined format corresponding to the issuer and said method further includes the steps of:
determining whether the read information comports with the predetermined format.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the document is a driver license.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the method is carried for a credit card transaction.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the first location is a point of sale.
18. A method for use in a transaction comprising the steps of:
receiving a identification document at a first location, said identification document being other than a credit card;
reading information from said identification document at said first location, and sending the read information from the first location to a remote location via a signal path for further processing.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the identification document is a driver license and contains information identifying an individual.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the further processing determines whether the individual is an organ donor.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein the further processing determines whether the individual has a criminal record.
22. The method of claim 18 wherein the read information is also processed at the first location, this processing being different from the further processing.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the processing at the first location involves the use of a CPU at the first location.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein the processing at the first location also includes storing the read information at the first location.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the processing at the first location also includes storing of the processed read information at the first location.
26. The method of claim 24 wherein the stored read information at the first location is accessible by the remote location.
27. The method of claim 25 wherein the processed read information that is stored is accessible by the remote location.