Breaking a fracturing fluid to prop a fracture in a subterranean formation
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsHong Sun, Janette Montalvo, Linping Ke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of treating a subterranean formation. A pad fluid is introduced into a wellbore penetrating the subterranean formation to create or enhance one or more fractures in the subterranean formation. A fracturing fluid is introduced into the wellbore. The fracturing fluid includes a polymer having a hydrophobic monomer and a hydrophilic monomer. The fracturing fluid further includes a proppant and a second aqueous base fluid. The fracturing fluid does not include a crosslinker or an oxidative breaker. The fracturing fluid is broken thereby settling the proppant in the fracture.
Claims14
A method for treating a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
- introducing a pad fluid into a wellbore penetrating the subterranean formation to create or enhance one or more fractures in the subterranean formation, the pad fluid comprising a first aqueous base fluid;
- introducing a first fracturing fluid into the fracture, the first fracturing fluid comprising:
- a polymer comprising a hydrophobic monomer and a hydrophilic monomer;
- wherein the hydrophobic monomer is n-hexyl (meth)acrylate;
- wherein the hydrophilic monomer is acrylamide;
- a proppant;
- and
- a second aqueous base fluid;
- introducing a second fracturing fluid into the fracture to contact the first fracturing fluid, the second fracturing fluid comprising:
- a caustic selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, cesium hydroxide, and any combination thereof, and
- a third aqueous base fluid;
- wherein the first fracturing fluid does not comprise a crosslinker or an oxidative breaker;
- and
- allowing or causing to allow the first fracturing fluid to break upon exposure to the second fracturing fluid thereby settling the proppant in the fracture.
A system for treating a subterranean formation, the system comprising:
- a first fracturing fluid comprising:
- a polymer comprising a hydrophobic monomer and a hydrophilic monomer;
- wherein the hydrophobic monomer comprises a monomer selected from the group consisting of is n-hexyl (meth)acrylate;
- wherein the hydrophilic monomer is acrylamide;
- a proppant;
- and
- an aqueous base fluid;
- wherein the first fracturing fluid does not comprise a crosslinker or an oxidative breaker;
- a second fracturing fluid configured to break the first fracturing fluid upon contacting the first fracturing fluid, the second fracturing comprising:
- a caustic selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, cesium hydroxide, and any combination thereof, and
- a third aqueous base fluid;
- mixing equipment configured to mix the polymer, the aqueous base fluid, and the proppant;
- and
- a pump fluidly coupled to a tubular extending into a wellbore penetrating the subterranean formation, wherein the tubular is configured to circulate or otherwise convey the first and second fracturing fluids in the wellbore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.