Hydraulic fracturing process and compositions

Patent · Tue Sep 17 00:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5910755

Constien, V G; King, M T

Improved fracturing processes are described which use novel aqueous hydraulic fracturing fluids. The fluids comprise: (a) an aqueous medium, and (b) a thickening amount of a thickener composition comprising (i) a water-soluble or water-dispersible interpolymer having pendant hydrophobic groups chemically bonded thereto, (ii) a nonionic surfactant having a hydrophobic group(s) that is capable of associating with the hydrophobic groups on said organic polymer, and (iii) a water-soluble electrolyte. Additionally, the fluids preferably contain a stabilizing amount of a thiosulfate salt. As an example, an interpolymer of acrylamide and dodecyl acrylate was used in combination with a nonionic surfactant (HLB of about 10 to about 14) to thicken a dilute aqueous solution of KCl and sodium thiosulfate; the aqueous solution had excellent properties for use as a high temperature hydraulic fracturing fluid.

• Assignee: The Dow Chemical Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 4541935
• OSTI ID: 5910755
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACRYLATES
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
AMIDES
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CHEMICAL BONDS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COLLOIDS
COMMINUTION
CROSS-LINKING
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELECTROLYTES
FLUIDS
FRACTURING
FRACTURING FLUIDS
GELS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
MIXTURES
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLYMERIZATION
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM SULFATES
SOLUTIONS
STIMULATION
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACTANTS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS