With optimal pad/well/stage designs and maximum water and proppant pumped, the performance of hydraulic fracturing has reached a record level in the recent years; however, the steep decline in production often shadows the effect. A new well or refracture may be required to restore the production level. The damage is often due to the water-proppant/formation interaction as the common shale control chemicals don’t provide a long-term protection. The product presented is the use a blend of selected chemistries to achieve an improved interaction with proppant and formation solid surfaces.
A series of laboratory evaluations were conducted including column test, roller oven, CST, flow loop, conductivity, and compatibilities to finetune the formulation. The product demonstrates a strong affinity to proppant and formation surface and can effectively control the fine generation during fracturing and production as it contains a combination of cationic compounds.
When it is pumped during fracturing, it hydrophobically coats the proppant and formation surface and prevents potential pyrite oxidation. It stabilizes the solids and maintains the formation integrity, which protects the subsequent well production. It also minimizes the scale formation. It helps maintain the well pressure and promotes the flow the hydrocarbons.
The product has been pumped along with over 1 billion gallons of water for fracturing in 2022 in south Texas and Oklahoma with major E&P companies. The production curves are reported to be softer as the wells maintain a relatively higher pressure with the treatment. It is being introduced to Haynesville as well.
Hydraulic fracturing has been widely used in well stimulation to enhance the productivity of oil and gas from subterranean formation by creating fractures in the formation (Hossain and Rahman, 2008). As of 2016, hydraulic fractured wells produced more than half of the total US oil production. This technique involves two basic steps: first injecting a fluid into the formation at a pressure sufficiently high to break down the formation and propagate fractures; and second placing the proppant particles into the induced fracture to maintain it open when applied pressure is relieved so that the oil/gas production from the well can be significantly enhanced (Gipson et al. 2018).