Correlating the Performance of Friction Reducers with Source Water Chemistry

Hazra, Suchandra; Madrid, Vanessa; Luzan, Tatiana; Domelen, Mark Van; Copeland, C. R.

doi:10.2118/195199-ms

Cited by 12 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 6 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The chemical characteristics of FRs (mostly PHPAM used in Bakken HFF) vis-a-vis their precipitation can be understood from its molecular structure and the resulting interaction between this polymeric compound and the array of ionic species in the reservoir environment. The presence of iron(III) is of particular concern [6]. The dissolution of pyrite from reservoir rock releases iron(II) which is subsequently oxidized to ferric ion at low pH.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Iron Stress Testing of Oilfield Produced Waters and Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids in the Bakken

Claudius Epie,

Kegang,

Olusegun

et al. 2023

J Petrochem Eng

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Friction reducers are a major additive in almost all water-based hydraulic fracturing fluids. Despite the important role they play in friction reduction during hydraulic fracturing, they pose a veritable threat to the permeability of tight reservoirs upon precipitation. In the industry today, the potential for such precipitation is seldom assessed and as a result, an additional contributor to the formation damage problem has been given little attention. In this work, the sensitivity and affinity of friction reducers to very low concentrations of ferric ions are exploited to provide a qualitative assessment of their propensity to precipitate in hydraulically fractured hydrocarbon reservoirs. Representative samples of produced water and a routinely utilized hydraulic fracturing fluid recipe were spiked with 50 ppm Iron (III) trichloride and incubated for 24 hours in a water bath at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The results showed that precipitation of friction reducers in fracturing fluid is highly likely at low concentrations of ferric ions. This precipitate formed turned from yellow to brown color over time upon heating. The test showed presence of fragmented/unfragmented Partially Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide (PHPAM) in the produced water, with varying degrees of FRgel precipitation depending on the processing treatment given to the water used for hydraulic fracturing. Evidence for the presence of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide was demonstrated in one of the produced waters while the rest did not produce any discernable precipitates. The results indicate that formations with lower iron concentrations may be more vulnerable to Fe3+-PHPAM precipitation than those with higher ferric ion concentration. Therefore, to mitigate formation damage through precipitation of FRs during hydraulic fracturing, a routine iron stress test like the one described herein is required on both hydraulic fracturing fluid and produced water to determine the vulnerability of the reservoir to formation damage by fragmented/unfragmented anionic PHPAMs.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Iron Stress Testing of Oilfield Produced Waters and Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids in the Bakken

Claudius Epie,

Kegang,

Olusegun

et al. 2023

J Petrochem Eng

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Optimization and friction reduction study of a new type of viscoelastic slickwater system

Bai

Zhou

Zhang

et al. 2021

Journal of Molecular Liquids

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Selecting Friction Reducers Based on Variability in the Completion Water Mineralogy: Case Study, Permian Basin

Zamar

Mendoza

Adil

2019

Day 1 Mon, November 11, 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Performance comparisons of different tier friction reducers (FRs) using field water samples from the Delaware and Midland basins within the Permian Basin are discussed. The objective is to correlate them with their respective water mineralogy to identify the primary components affecting FR effectiveness, allowing a proper FR selection based on individual elements and not just by total dissolved solids (TDS). Identifying critical minerals that affect the proper FR selection enables making an educated FR selection not based on TDS count alone, which could potentially reduce the amount of testing and unsuccessful field trials. To zero in on the primary elements within the water that affect friction reduction behavior, extensive testing was performed. Traditional and inductive couple plasma (ICP) water analyses were performed to determine mineralogy, and flow loop testing was performed to determine FR performance. Additionally, specific parameters (i.e., hydration time, maximum FR percentage, and stability) were measured and compared to the multiple tests to determine trends between FR performance and water mineralogy. Understanding how a flow loop apparatus works is discussed, which helps when interpreting friction reduction performance. This is a fundamental component for understanding the behavior of the FR during testing and how it affects performance in the field. Additionally, this paper can be used as a basic guide for flow loop interpretation, and it attempts to identify possible causes of varying FR behavior in the field versus laboratory testing.

show abstract

Correlating the Performance of Friction Reducers with Source Water Chemistry

Cited by 12 publications

References 6 publications

Iron Stress Testing of Oilfield Produced Waters and Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids in the Bakken

Iron Stress Testing of Oilfield Produced Waters and Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids in the Bakken

Optimization and friction reduction study of a new type of viscoelastic slickwater system

Selecting Friction Reducers Based on Variability in the Completion Water Mineralogy: Case Study, Permian Basin

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About