Patent 7798222 was granted and assigned to ConocoPhillips on September, 2010 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A system for preventing the migration of unconsolidated and/or loosely consolidated material into a wellbore. Such prevention is accomplished by introducing a well treatment medium comprising an expandable fluid and a bonding agent into an unconsolidated zone proximate the wellbore. The expandable fluid is allowed to expand and flow through the unconsolidated zone while the bonding agent cures, thereby forming a consolidated zone having sufficient porosity to allow fluid flow therethrough.