Systems and methods of hydrating polymer additives
AssigneePfP Industries, LLC
InventorsAsoke Kumar Deysarkar, Michael Joseph Callanan, IV, Robert Ray McDaniel, Brian James Keola DeCaires
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Abstract
A method includes flowing a hydrating liquid in an extensional flow regime through an elongated passageway of an extender, wherein a flow rate of the hydrating liquid and a diameter of the elongated passageway are sufficient to achieve a Reynolds number of 20,000 or greater. A hydratable additive is added to the hydrating liquid in the elongated passageway to produce a mixture comprising the hydratable additive that is at least partially hydrated.
Claims18
A method, comprising:
- flowing a hydrating liquid in an extensional flow regime through an elongated passageway of an extender, wherein a flow rate of the hydrating liquid and a diameter of the elongated passageway are sufficient to achieve a Reynolds number of 20,000 or greater;
- and
- adding a hydratable additive to the hydrating liquid in the elongated passageway to produce a mixture comprising the hydratable additive that is at least partially hydrated.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the mixture has a viscosity within 50% of peak within 5 minutes of exiting the extender.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the flow rate of the hydrating liquid is at least 50 gallons per minute through the elongated passageway and the diameter of the elongated passageway is 45 mm or less.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the hydratable additive is present in the mixture at 10 pounds to 300 pounds per 1000 gallons of the hydrating fluid.
The method of any preceding claim, further comprising:
- mixing the mixture with proppant and a dilution fluid to form a fracturing fluid;
- injecting the fracturing fluid into a subterranean formation under conditions sufficient to create and/or extend at least one fracture in the subterranean formation;
- and
- placing the proppant in the at least one fracture.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the hydratable additive comprises a powder polymer having a water content of 10 wt % or less.
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the mixture has a % improvement in dynamic proppant transport capability (DPTC) that is greater than the % improvement in DPTC for a same mixture composition produced under traditional shear hydration as determined by a DPTC test that includes a shear history of 5 min at 4500 RPM.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.