Method to decrease viscosity of gelled oil

Abstract

A method of decreasing the viscosity of a gelled organic-based fluid is disclosed. The method comprises combining an organic solvent, a gelling agent, and a metal crosslinker; forming the gelled organic-based fluid; and adding a chelating agent forming a complex with the metal to decrease the viscosity of the gelled organic-based fluid. The chelating agent may be chosen within nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), citric acid; ascorbic acid, hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA) or its salts, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or its salts, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) or its salts, phosphinopolyacrylate, thioglycolates, or a combination thereof.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.