# US 2020/0399531 A1 · Composition And Method For Improving Performance Of Friction Reducing Polymers In High Dissolved Solids Water > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0399531 A1 - Document ID: US20200399531A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/963,115 - Filed: 2019-01-22 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-19 - Assignees: Downhole Chemical Solutions, LLC - Inventors: David O. Trahan; Jia Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200399531A1 ## CPC - C09K 8/882: {obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds} - E21B 43/267: reinforcing fractures by propping - C09K 8/602: {containing surfactants} - C09K 8/665: {containing inorganic compounds (proppants C09K8/80)} - C09K 8/68: containing organic compounds - C09K 8/845: {containing inorganic compounds} - C09K 8/88: macromolecular compounds - E21B 21/067: {Separating gases from drilling fluids} - C09K 2208/28: Friction or drag reducing additives - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract Systems and methods include using a fracture fluid downhole for fracturing a formation. The method includes providing an aqueous solution comprising dissolved solids at a certain ionic strength, and adding a proppant to create a fracture fluid. The method continues by adding a polymeric additive and a surfactant to the fracture fluid, wherein the polymeric additive comprises friction reducing capabilities that can be decreased by the ionic strength present in the fracture fluid (i.e., ionic strength originally found in the water). The addition of the polymeric additive and the surfactant to the fracture fluid creates an enhanced fracture fluid, wherein the surfactant increases the performance of the friction reducing capabilities of the polymeric additive in the enhanced fracture fluid, which provides a more efficient fracturing operation. The method concludes by pumping the enhanced fracture fluid downhole for a more efficient fracture of the formation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of using a fracture fluid downhole for fracturing a formation, comprising: storing water in a pump tank, wherein the water comprises dissolved solids at an ionic strength; adding a proppant to the stored water to create the fracture fluid; adding a water-soluble polymeric additive and a surfactant to create an enhanced fracture fluid, wherein the polymeric additive comprises friction reducing capabilities that are decreased by the ionic strength of the stored water, and wherein the surfactant comprises sodium lauryl ether sulfate and sodium dodecyl sulfate at a ratio between 2:1 and 1:2, and wherein the surfactant is concentrated in the enhanced fracture fluid between 60 ppm and 50 ppm, and wherein the surfactant increases the performance of the water-soluble polymeric additive in the enhanced fracture fluid; and pumping the enhanced fracture fluid with the water-soluble polymeric additive and the surfactant into the formation for fracturing the formation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the water-soluble polymeric additive comprises an anionic polyacrylamide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the surfactant further comprises a carboxylate, a sulfonate, a sophorolipid or combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (canceled) ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the surfactant further comprises a sulfonate, wherein the sulfonate surfactant is concentrated in the enhanced fracture fluid between 30 ppm and 100 ppm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the surfactant further comprises a sophorolipid, wherein the sophorolipid surfactant is concentrated in the enhanced fracture fluid between 10 ppm and 50 ppm. ### Claim 7 A method of fracturing a formation, comprising: pumping produced water from a wellbore, wherein the produced water comprises an ionic strength that is greater than fresh water; adding a proppant to the produced water to create a fracture fluid; adding a water-soluble polymeric additive and a surfactant comprising sodium lauryl ether sulfate and sodium dodecyl sulfate at a ratio between 2:1 and 1:2 to the fracture fluid to create an enhanced fracture fluid, wherein the water-soluble polymeric additive comprises friction reducing capabilities that are decreased by the ionic strength of the produced water, and wherein the surfactant is added at a concentration between 60 ppm and 500 ppm to increase friction reducing capabilities of the water-soluble polymeric additive in the enhanced fracture fluid; and pumping the enhanced fracture fluid into the formation for fracturing the formation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the wellbore providing the produced water is located adjacent to the formation being fractured. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the wellbore providing the produced water is located within a 100m distance of the formation being fractured. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the water-soluble polymeric additive comprises an anionic polyacrylamide. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the surfactant further comprises a carboxylate, a sulfonate, a sophorolipid or combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (canceled) ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the surfactant further comprises a sulfonate, wherein the sulfonate surfactant is concentrated in the enhanced fracture fluid between 30 ppm and 100 ppm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the surfactant further comprises a sophorolipid, wherein the sophorolipid surfactant is concentrated in the enhanced fracture fluid between 10 ppm and 50 ppm.