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US 7,621,335 B2Granted
Viscosity breaker for polyacrylamide friction reducers
AssigneeChemplex Company
InventorsOscar L. Valeriano, Richard J. Dyer
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Abstract
A well treating fluid useful in slickwater fracturing processes contains polyacrylamide friction reducer and a viscosity breaker capable of reducing the viscosity of the well treating fluid to about the viscosity of water at ambient temperatures of typical underground formations. The viscosity breaker is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, calcium peroxide, magnesium peroxide, and zinc peroxide and is present in an amount above about 0.002% by weight.
Claims12
A method of slickwater fracturing an underground formation comprising:
- providing a well treating fluid comprising water;
- adding a polyacrylamide friction reducer in an amount of from about 0.005% to about 0.04% by weight;
- adding a viscosity breaker selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, calcium peroxide, magnesium peroxide, and zinc peroxide in an amount above about 0.002% by weight;
- injecting the well treating fluid into an underground formation at a pressure sufficient to fracture the underground formation;
- and
- allowing the viscosity breaker to reduce the viscosity of the well treating fluid to about that of water over a period of time.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.