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Title: Effects of oxygen on fracturing fluids

Abstract

The stability of polysaccharide gels at high temperature is limited by such factors as pH, mechanical degradation, and oxidants. Oxygen is unavoidably placed in fracturing fluids through dissolution of air. To prevent premature degradation of the fracturing fluid by this oxidant, oxygen scavengers are commonly used. In this paper, the effects of oxygen and various oxygen scavengers on gel stability will be presented. Mechanical removal of oxygen resulted in surprisingly stable fracturing gels at 275 F. However, chemical removal of oxygen gave mixed results. Test data from sodium thiosulfate, sodium sulfite, and sodium erythorbate used as oxygen scavengers/gel stabilizers showed that the efficiency of oxygen removal from gels did not directly coincide with the viscosity retention of the gel, and large excesses of additives were necessary to provide optimum gel stabilization. The inability of some oxygen scavengers to stabilize the gel was the result of products created from the interaction of oxygen with the oxygen scavenger, which in turn, produced species that degraded the gel. The ideal oxygen scavenger should provide superior gel stabilization without creating detrimental side reaction products. Of the materials tested, sodium thiosulfate appeared to be the most beneficial.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
113549
Report Number(s):
CONF-950207-
TRN: IM9544%%510
Resource Type:
Book
Resource Relation:
Conference: 15. international symposium on oilfield chemistry, San Antonio, TX (United States), 14-17 Feb 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of International symposium on oilfield chemistry: Proceedings; PB: 785 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; POLYSACCHARIDES; STABILIZATION; FRACTURING FLUIDS; OXYGEN; REMOVAL; SODIUM COMPOUNDS; THIOSULFATES; MATERIALS TESTING; THERMAL DEGRADATION; OIL WELLS; FRACTURING; RHEOLOGY; SULFITES; CONCENTRATION RATIO; EXPERIMENTAL DATA

Citation Formats

Walker, M L, Shuchart, C E, Yaritz, J G, and Norman, L R. Effects of oxygen on fracturing fluids. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Walker, M L, Shuchart, C E, Yaritz, J G, & Norman, L R. Effects of oxygen on fracturing fluids. United States.
Walker, M L, Shuchart, C E, Yaritz, J G, and Norman, L R. 1995. "Effects of oxygen on fracturing fluids". United States.
@article{osti_113549,
title = {Effects of oxygen on fracturing fluids},
author = {Walker, M L and Shuchart, C E and Yaritz, J G and Norman, L R},
abstractNote = {The stability of polysaccharide gels at high temperature is limited by such factors as pH, mechanical degradation, and oxidants. Oxygen is unavoidably placed in fracturing fluids through dissolution of air. To prevent premature degradation of the fracturing fluid by this oxidant, oxygen scavengers are commonly used. In this paper, the effects of oxygen and various oxygen scavengers on gel stability will be presented. Mechanical removal of oxygen resulted in surprisingly stable fracturing gels at 275 F. However, chemical removal of oxygen gave mixed results. Test data from sodium thiosulfate, sodium sulfite, and sodium erythorbate used as oxygen scavengers/gel stabilizers showed that the efficiency of oxygen removal from gels did not directly coincide with the viscosity retention of the gel, and large excesses of additives were necessary to provide optimum gel stabilization. The inability of some oxygen scavengers to stabilize the gel was the result of products created from the interaction of oxygen with the oxygen scavenger, which in turn, produced species that degraded the gel. The ideal oxygen scavenger should provide superior gel stabilization without creating detrimental side reaction products. Of the materials tested, sodium thiosulfate appeared to be the most beneficial.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/113549}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}

Book:
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