Methods for using non-volatile phosphorus hydrocarbon gelling agents

A method for fracturing a formation comprising the steps of:

• injecting a fracturing fluid into a bore hole to contact at least a part of the formation by the fracturing fluid under a sufficient pressure to fracture the formation;
• the fracturing fluid comprising:
• a base fluid and
• a cross-linkable composition including
• a gelling agent and
• a cross-linking agent,
• optionally a proppant,
• where the base fluid is a hydrocarbon fluid, the gelling agent comprises a phosphate ester formed from phosphorus pentoxide and an alkoxide donor selected from the group consisting of mono-alkyl-phosphates, di-alkyl-phosphates, tri-alkyl-phosphates, alcohols and mixtures or combinations thereof, where the alkyl groups of the alkoxide donor all have at least 4 carbon atoms, and where one or more of the carbon atoms can be hetero atoms selected from the group of oxygen and nitrogen, and
• forwarding the produced well fluids, after de-salting, to a high temperature distillation or other separation unit, where the de-salted, produced well fluids produce less to no volatile phosphorus-containing compounds at temperatures up to 250° C.