Application of New Viscoelastic Fluid Technology Results in Enhanced Fracture Productivity

Abstract

Abstract Water-based polymers, guar, and derivatized guar have been the mainstay of fracturing fluids for many years because of their low cost and highly controllable fluid rheology. However, these materials can cause significant fracture conductivity impairment leading to poorer than expected well productivity after fracture stimulation. Considerable effort has been applied to reduce the damage caused by these fluids, including: (1) applying special purification chemical processes, (2) improving polymer breakers, (3) formulating fluids with less polymer, and (4) improving fluid recovery during well flowback after treatment. Each of these processes has incrementally improved conductivity; however, one-half or more of the native conductivity is lost to frac fluid damage derived from the use of guar-based polymers. Recent application of no polymer, surfactant-based viscoelastic frac fluid technology has demonstrated the value of non conductivity damaging fluids by generating high well productivity with small fracture stimulation treatments. While these fluids are generally nondamaging, they are limited in applicability because of high fluid loss and their inability to generate extended fractures at a reasonable cost. This paper presents the laboratory development and initial field testing of a new, viscoelastic fluid technology that produces highly productive fractures with low conductivity damage while providing excellent fluid-loss control and high proppant-transport properties to generate design fracture geometry. This fluid has little sensitivity to temperature and salinity, and rheology is easily controlled. The fluid system combines the best properties of polymer-based fluid technology with those of surfactant-based technology.