PURPOSE: To provide a gellabel composition containing a water soluble polymer for oil field operations and a process for accelerating the gelation of the gellable composition used in a shut-in well.

CONSTITUTION: The composition consists of (1) an ammonium ion donor; (2) a water soluble acrylamide-containing polymer; (3) a first crosslinking component selected from the group consisting of aldehydes and aldehyde-generating compounds; (4) a second crosslinking component selected from the group consisting of a phenol and an alcohol; and (5) water. The composition is pumped to a shut-in well in which a gel is to be formed, to form the gel in situ.