Effect of Seawater Ions on Polymer Hydration in the Presence of a Chelating Agent: Application to Hydraulic Fracturing.

Seawater (SW) and produced water (PW) could replace freshwater in hydraulic fracturing operations, but their high salinity impacts the fluid stability and results in formation damage. Few researchers investigated SW and PW individual ions' impact on polymer hydration and rheology. This research examines the rheology of carboxy methyl hydroxy propyl guar (CMHPG) polymer hydrated in salt ions in the presence of a chelating agent.

Review of Kerogen's Geomechanical Properties: Experiments and Molecular Simulation.

Measuring the mechanical properties of kerogen, the predominant constituent of organic matter in shale is exceedingly difficult as it constitutes small-scale aggregates interspersed in rocks. Kerogen is characterized by significantly lower stiffness compared to inorganic minerals, thereby the kerogen regions are potential areas for study during, for example, drilling or macroscopic fracture propagation in the course of hydraulic fracturing. For instance, the elastic modulus of kerogen-rich spots is around 10 GPa, while it is about 70 GPa for quartz.

Rheological Study of Seawater-Based Fracturing Fluid Containing Polymer, Crosslinker, and Chelating Agent.

Freshwater is usually used in hydraulic fracturing as it is less damaging to the formation and is compatible with the chemical additives. In recent years, seawater has been the subject of extensive research to reduce freshwater consumption. The study aims to optimize the rheology of seawater-based fracturing fluid with chemical additives that reduce the formation damage.

The Synergetic Impact of Anionic, Cationic, and Neutral Polymers on VES Rheology at High-Temperature Environment.

Hydraulic fracturing operations target enhancing the productivity of tight formations through viscous fluid injection to break down the formation and transport proppant. Crosslinked polymers are usually used for desired viscoelasticity of the fracturing fluid; however, viscoelastic surfactants (VES) became a possible replacement due to their less damaging impact. To design a fracturing fluid with exceptional rheological and thermal stability, we investigated mixing zwitterionic VES with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), or a poly diallyl dimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC) polymers.

Chelating Agents Usage in Optimization of Fracturing Fluid Rheology Prepared from Seawater.

Hydraulic fracturing consumes massive volumes of freshwater that is usually scarce and costly. Such operation is not sustainable, and hence seawater could be used as an alternative. Nevertheless, seawater has high total dissolved solids (TDS), affecting the fracturing fluid rheology and providing a damage potential to the subterranean hydrocarbon reservoirs.