Advanced Rheological Techniques for Optimizing Borate-Crosslinked Fracturing Fluid Selection and Performance

Abstract

Summary The complex rheological behavior of crosslinked fracturing fluids is a function of shear history, temperature, and chemistry. Understanding the relationship between these variables and the downhole properties of the fracturing fluid is a challenging task. Rheological measurement techniques are presented that unravel some of the mystery associated with crosslinked fracturing fluids. The concept of a physical gel-point for fluids undergoing crosslinking is introduced and shown to correlate strongly with the proppantcarrying ability of the fluid. The gel-point variation with temperature and chemistry is discussed. This variation can be studied in the laboratory to provide an in-situ field performance evaluation without the need for expensive proppant-transport flow loops. The limitations for newly developed, low-concentration polymer fluids are also discussed. The fluid system chosen for analysis was the pH-activated, borate-crosslinked hydroxypropylguar (HPG) fluid.