Fracturing Fluids and Additives

Ely, John; Herndon, Raymond A.

doi:10.2118/9781613997192-06

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 351 publications

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“…Stability is another key characteristic; the fluid should maintain its viscosity throughout the treatment process. Lastly, while meeting all these criteria, it should also be cost-effective [6].…”

Section: Completion Design 21 Hydraulic Fracturing Fluidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advancement in Hydraulic Fracturing for Improved Oil Recovery

Merzoug,

Ouadi,

Tomomewo

2023

Innovations in Enhanced and Improved Oil Recovery - New Advances

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This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of advancements in hydraulic fracturing in unconventional plays. The narrative starts with an introduction to hydraulic fracturing and its transformative potential in the U.S., showcasing innovations in fracturing volumes, proppant masses, and well laterals. A detailed examination of fracturing fluids follows, emphasizing the dominance of slickwater treatments in unconventional plays. The chapter then delves into the crucial role of proppants, highlighting their surge in usage over a decade and the consequential shifts in material choice. The intricacies of perforation design are explored, particularly the revolutionary Xtreme Limited Entry approach and its subsequent impacts on production efficiency. In the realm of diagnostic technologies, the chapter presents a range, from traditional methods to emerging ones like Microseismic Depletion Delineation and time-lapse geochemical fingerprinting. The topic of refracturing is also addressed, spotlighting its merits in combating rapid production declines and the associated challenges. Finally, the chapter elucidates the phenomenon of fracture-driven interaction, offering insights into its historical context, influential factors, and proposed strategies to manage its repercussions. Through its breadth and depth, this chapter underscores the multifaceted nature of hydraulic fracturing advancements and their significance in the oil industry.

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Section: Completion Design 21 Hydraulic Fracturing Fluidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advancement in Hydraulic Fracturing for Improved Oil Recovery

Merzoug,

Ouadi,

Tomomewo

2023

Innovations in Enhanced and Improved Oil Recovery - New Advances

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…From the 1950s to the 1980s, the proportion of oil-based fluids in the fracturing process decreased from 100 to 20%, which reduced the costs and risks of treatment [12][13][14]. Aqueous solutions of polymers, such as starches [15], guar gum [16,17], xanthan gum [18][19][20], carboxymethyl cellulose [21][22][23][24], and polyacrylamide [25,26], have come to replace hydrocarbon-based fluids [27,28]. Despite the low content of chemical reagents in water-based hydraulic fracturing fluids (less than 2-3 vol.% [27,29]), many environmental organizations oppose hydraulic fracturing operations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applicability Assessment of Viscoelastic Surfactants and Synthetic Polymers as a Base of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids

et al. 2022

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Hydraulic fracturing (HF) is currently the most widespread and effective method of oil production stimulation. The most commonly used fracturing fluid is crosslinked guar gels. However, when using these systems, problems such as clogging of the pore space, cracking, and proppant packing with the remains of the undestroyed polymer arise. Therefore, the efficiency of the hydraulic fracturing process decreases. In this work, compositions based on viscoelastic surfactants (VES) and synthetic polymers (SP) were considered as alternatives capable of minimizing these disadvantages. Most often, the possibility of using a composition as a fracturing fluid is evaluated using rotational viscometry. However, rotational viscometry is not capable of fully assessing the structural and mechanical properties of fracturing fluid. This leads to a reduced spread of systems based on VES and SP. This paper proposes an integrated approach to assessing the effectiveness of a water-based fracturing fluid. The proposed comprehensive approach includes an assessment of the main characteristics of water-based fracturing fluids, including an analysis of their structural and mechanical properties, which is based on a combination of rotational and oscillatory rheology and a comparative analysis of methods for studying the influence of fluids on the reservoir rock. The use of the developed approach to assess the technological properties of fracturing fluids makes it possible to demonstrate the potential applicability of new, unconventional fracturing fluids such as systems based on VES and SP.

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The Mechanism for Improved Polymer Gel Blocking During Low-Salinity Waterfloods, Investigated Using Positron Emission Tomography Imaging

Brattekås

Seright

2020

Transp Porous Med

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Polymer gels can be placed in fractures within subsurface reservoirs to improve sweep efficiency during subsequent floods, and its success is largely determined by the gel's ability to completely occupy the fracture volume. Gel volumetric properties may be influenced by mechanical and chemical conditions. In this work, gel volume sensitivity to salinity contrast is investigated. Previous bulk gel studies showed that water-based gel swelled in contact with lower-salinity water and shrunk in contact with higher-salinity water. Recent core-scale experiments demonstrated that gel blocking efficiency after rupture was also impacted by the salinity of the injected water phase. Gel treatments (after gel rupture) become less efficient in controlling fracture flow with time and water throughput during water injection without salinity contrasts. However, by reducing the salinity of the injected water phase with respect to the gel, blocking efficiency may be maintained, or even improved, over time. The coupling between gel deformation during swelling/shrinking and dynamic fluid flow is complex and can initiate changes in mechanical or transport properties, included formation of fluid flow paths through the gel that are not easily distinguished during conventional core floods. In-situ imaging by positron emission tomography (PET) was utilized to gain access to local flow patterns in this work, and combined with pressure measurements to characterize complex flow phenomena in a fractured, gel-filled system. Gel rupture was quantified several consecutive times during low-salinity waterflooding. Increasing rupture pressures indicates continuous gel strengthening during low-salinity water injection. PET imaging revealed that gel swelling occurred during low-salinity waterfloods, to constrict water pathways through the fracture. Gel swelling was sufficient to restrict fracture flow completely, and injected water was diverted into the rock matrix adjacent to the fracture. Injected water continued to pass through gel at elevated pressure gradients, but continuous flow paths did not form. This observation supports the notion of gel as a compressible, porous medium.

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Fracturing Fluids and Additives

Cited by 3 publications

References 351 publications

Advancement in Hydraulic Fracturing for Improved Oil Recovery

Advancement in Hydraulic Fracturing for Improved Oil Recovery

Applicability Assessment of Viscoelastic Surfactants and Synthetic Polymers as a Base of Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids

The Mechanism for Improved Polymer Gel Blocking During Low-Salinity Waterfloods, Investigated Using Positron Emission Tomography Imaging

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