Influence of calcium chloride in coal on guar-based foam fracturing fluid rheological property: An experimental study

Abstract

To investigate the influence of calcium chloride (CaCl2) in coal seams on the rheological property of a foam fracturing fluid, the guar powder was used as a foam stabilizer, and the anionic and cationic surfactants were used as foaming agents. The impact of CaCl2 concentrations on the foaming volume, half-life, viscosity, and surface tension of foam was investigated. The results show that CaCl2 has a more significant effect on the foaming amount and foam stability of the anionic surfactant-prepared foam. When the concentration of CaCl2 exceeds 0.25%, the viscosity of the base fluid shows a downward trend and gradually tends to a stable level below 10 mPa s. The foam half-life increases as the shape parameter an in the gamma function increases and decreases as the scale parameter b increases. The effect of CaCl2 on the bubble size of the anionic surfactant foam fracturing fluid is significantly greater than that of the cationic surfactant foam fracturing fluid. For coal reservoir foam fracturing, a foaming agent with better CaCl2 compatibility should be employed to reduce the influence of CaCl2 in the formation water on fracturing performance.