Liquid chloride salt-based polymer suspension fluids with polyethylene glycol dispersants and application to drag reduction

Abstract

Aqueous suspensions are presented that are stable against settling without additional mixing in which the suspensions comprise a water soluble polymer that is anionic or non-ionic comprising a blend of water with at least about 32 wt % chloride salt with a counter ion A+a with 2≤a, from about 1 wt % to about 10 wt % particulate polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight from about 1600 g/mol to about 50,000 g/mol, and from about 10 wt % to about 50 wt % of the water soluble polymer that is not a polyether. The suspensions have chlorides in a sufficient amount to inhibit hydration of the suspended water soluble polymer and the particulate polyethylene glycol. The aqueous suspension can be formed by adding a powder of polyethylene glycol to a high salt solution and then adding the high molecular weight polymer. The aqueous suspensions can be useful as friction reducing agents in flowing liquids, such as for hydraulic fracture.

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