Compositions and methods for cross-linking hydratable polymers using produced water

A fracturing fluid composition comprising:

• a base fluid comprising an elevated total dissolved solids (TDS) water selected from the group consisting of produced water, flow back water, brackish water, reverse osmosis (RO) reject water, clear brine, and mixtures and combinations thereof,
• a hydratable polymer composition or a hydratable polymer slurry composition, wherein the hydratable polymer composition or hydratable polymer slurry composition includes one or more gel-forming hydratable polymers and one or more synthetic polymers,
• a friction reducer composition including hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed hydrolyzable polymers and copolymers,
• a cross-linking composition in an amount sufficient to crosslink the gel-forming hydratable polymer to form a fracturing fluid having a crosslinked structure, and
• a proppant,
• wherein the hydratable polymers are present in an amount less than 10 ppt of the fracturing fluid composition,
• wherein the crosslinked structure occurs in the last 25% of a residence time of the fracturing fluid composition in a tubular downhole injection mechanism,
• wherein the one or more synthetic polymers and the friction reducer composition reduce drag properties of the fracturing fluid composition as the fracturing fluid composition travels down the tubular downhole injection mechanism into a subterranean formation and enters subterranean formation fractures, and
• wherein the crosslinked structure in the fracturing fluid composition improves proppant transport properties, reduces a fracturing fluid composition injection rate, and reduces a volume of water required to created a desired fracture geometry and placement of the proppant into the fractures.