Method of removing flow-restricting materials from wells

A method of coating metallic equipment in a well penetrating a subsurface earth formation with an epoxy resin comprising:

• (a) introducing an epoxy resin composition into the well in contact with said metallic equipment,
• (b) maintaining said epoxy resin composition in contact with said metallic equipment for a time sufficient to coat said metallic equipment with epoxy resin and at least partially cure said epoxy resin;
• (c) introducing a solvent composition comprising N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and a diluent in an amount of about 0 to about 80% by weight into said well in contact with the epoxy resin composition;
• (d) maintaining said solvent composition in said well for a time sufficient to form a flowable fluid of said solvent and flow-restricting materials;
• and
• (e) removing said flowable fluid from said well.

A method for producing a consolidated, permeable mass of particulate material below the surface of the earth at a preselected subsurface location penetrated by a well bore comprising:

• (a) forming a mass of particulate material coated with an epoxy resin and consolidating said particulate material at said subsurface location;
• (b) introducing a solvent compositon comprising N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and for 0 to about 80% by weight of a diluent into said consolidated mass of coated particulate material;
• (c) maintaining said solvent composition in contact with said coated, consolidated particulate material for a time sufficient to form a flowable fluid of flow-restricting materials contained in the void spaces between the particulate materials;
• and
• (d) removing said solvent composition containing said flow-restricting materials from the well to produce a consolidated permeable mass at the subsurface location.