Fracturing operations employing chlorine dioxide

A method comprising:

• introducing a treatment fluid comprising a polymer gel and a proppant into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the treatment fluid being formed by:
• treating an aqueous base fluid with chlorine dioxide;
• adding a water soluble polymer to the chlorine dioxide treated aqueous base fluid;
• wherein a residual amount of chlorine dioxide is present in the chlorine dioxide treated aqueous base fluid, the residual amount of chlorine dioxide being sufficient to enhance a viscosity of the treatment fluid thereby providing about a 25% to about 75% reduction in an amount of the water-soluble polymer to achieve a target viscosity of the treatment fluid, relative to an untreated treatment fluid, and the residual amount of chlorine dioxide being substantially greater than an amount needed for biocidal activity, wherein the amount for biocidal activity of chlorine dioxide is in a range from about 1 mg/L to about 10 mg/L;
• and
• wherein the introducing step comprises applying the treatment fluid at a sufficient pressure and at a sufficient rate to fracture the subterranean formation.