Viscoelastic Surfactant (VES)

Fracturing Fluid - ClearFRAC*-HP

Kevin W. England
Engineering Manager
Schlumberger

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 Fracturing Fluids - History

1949 First Commercial Hydraulic Fracturing

1950 Fracturing using Gelled Oil
1960 Water-based non-Crosslinked Fluids
1968 Borate-crosslinked Guar
1973 Hydroxypropyl Guar (HPG)
1973 Carboxymethyl Hydroxypropyl Guar (CMHPG)
1980 Foamed Fluids (crosslinked and non-crosslinked)
1994 Low gel loading systems
1997 Viscoelastic Surfactants (VES) - ClearFRAC*

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ClearFRAC* Fluids - Simple Chemistry

Viscoelastic
Surfactant
(MW:450)
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 Evolution of ClearFRAC*
• 1997 - Schlumberger introduced and pumped the first VES-
based fracturing fluid.
– Schlumberger has been pumping VES-based gravel pack fluids
worldwide for several years (PermPAC).
• Since then several revisions and new versions have been
released:
– Improvements in chemistry
– Systems tailored for specific market conditions
– Improved understanding from evaluation of many field applications

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 Example of Standard ClearFRAC*
• ClearFRAC-MT
Systems
– Excellent range of application - low viscosity
• ClearFRAC-HP
– High viscosity formulation and environmentally friendly
• ClearFRAC-HT
– Allows for applications up to 300 °F
• ClearFRAC-LTC
– Special version developed for Canadian shallow gas market

100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 Temperature (°F)
ClearFRAC*-MT with KCl
ClearFRAC*-MT with Organic Salt J463
ClearFRAC*-HP with KCl
ClearFRAC*-HT
ClearFRAC*-LTC with NH4NO3
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 Mechanism of ClearFRAC*

Making of ClearFRAC*-HP
• Blend surfactant in brine

Brine

Worm-like Micelle
Viscoelastic
Surfactant
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 ClearFRAC*-HP - Viscosity
Development

Worm-like Micelle

Entanglement of Micelles

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 ClearFRAC*-HP - Closer Look

Entanglement of micelles creates Cryo-electron microscope image of

viscosity, which provides proppant ClearFRAC* Fluid.
transport and suspension.

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 Viscosity - Shear Rate Dependence
3
10
• No permanent viscosity
o
75 F
degradation due to shear
2
10
• Viscosity is only temperature
100oF dependent - no thermal
Viscosity (Pa.s)

1
10
120oF degradation with time.
• The fluid exhibits elastic
0 140oF
10 properties because of the
160oF
entanglement of the rod- shaped
10
-1 micelles.
175oF
• The high low shear viscosity is
10
-2 responsible for proppant
10
-4
10
-3
10
-2
10
-1
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
transport and high fluid
Shear Rate (s -1) efficiency.
Note: Pa*sec = 1,000 cp

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 ClearFRAC*-HP - Break Mechanism
Worm-like Micelle
Breaking
• On contact with
hydrocarbons
Oil or Gas
• On dilution with
produced formation water

Spherical Micelles
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 Why ClearFRAC*-HP?
Polymer Recovery
50
45
Polymer Recovered (%)

40
35
30
25 45 lb/1,000 gal
20
15
Guar Fluid
10
5
0
0 25 50 75 100
Low
Time (hours) Concentration
Clean-up and Effective Fracture-
Guar Fluids
length
30-40%
30-45%
Cleanup
Clean-up
~55-70% Polymer ClearFRAC*-HP

0 40 80 120 160 200

Time (hours)

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 Importance of Fracture Clean-up
"LOW"
Damage

Fractional Retained Pack Perm (%)

"LOW"
Damage
0.8

0.6
"HIGH"
Damage 0.4

"HIGH"
0.2 Damage

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Fractional Loss of Pack Porosity (%)

dsp 10/95 02
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 Effective Fracture Half-length (Xfeff) and
Fracture Conductivity (kfw)
Polymer Fluids ClearFRAC*-HP

100

80
% Retained

60

40

20

0
Guar Low Guar ClearFRAC*-HP
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 What is the “real” fracture length?
Propped Length
Effective Length

Hydraulic Length
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 Stimulation Requirements Depend on
Formation Characteristics
High Permeability Low Permeability
Formations Formations
14 100%
Folds of Increase (J/Jo)

90%
12 80%
70%
10 60%
50% Xf
8 40% re
30%
6 20%
10%
4

2
2 3 4 5 6
10 10 10 10 10
k f w 40
Relative Conductivity,
k A
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ClearFRAC*-HP - Solution for Western
Venezuela
• ClearFRAC*-HP has viscosity needed to fracture stimulate
high permeability formations.
– Limitation of first-generation VES fluid systems.
– Leakoff coefficient is viscosity controlled.
• ClearFRAC*-HP has viscosity needed to fracture stimulate
larger gross intervals (> 50 meters)
• ClearFRAC*-HP has improved compatibility (less emulsions)
with difficult crude oils.
• ClearFRAC*-HP has flowback enhancement additives
designed to accelerate the clean-up process.

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 ClearFRAC*-HP Fluid Rheology
350
1% ClearFRAC*-HP
300 2% ClearFRAC*-HP
3% ClearFRAC*-HP
250
Viscosity @ 100 sec-1 (cP)

4% ClearFRAC*-HP
200

150  100% Retained permeability

100  Environmental friendly
(Category E, North Sea)
50
 Low toxicity
0
80 100 120 140 160 180 200  Biodegradable
Temperature (°F)  pH activated
 Economics

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 Matrix Breaker System - QuikCLEAN-M
QuikCLEAN-M is added in the pad-stage to enhance formation
clean up. Fluid viscosity is reduced only at low shear rates (< 40
sec-1) and is intact at higher shear rates.
2% ClearFRAC*-HP, 130 F
FracTECH Core Tests 1,000 2% ClearFRAC*-HP
0.5% QuikCLEAN-M, 130 F
P 2% 2% 3% 2% ClearFRAC*-HP
ClearFRAC*-HP ClearFRAC*-HP 0.75% QuikCLEAN-M, 130 F
(psi/in)ClearFRAC*-HP 0.2%

Log[Viscosity(cP)]
(140 F) QuikCLEAN-M (170 F)
20 0 0 0

30 N/A 36 53

40 0 43 58

60 14 68 61

80 73 82 66
100
120 87 94 87
0.1 1 10 100 1000
Log[shear rate(sec-1)]
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 Proppant-pack Breaker - QuikCLEAN-F
Encapsulated breaker contains a powerful surfactant, upon release, will
decrease fluid viscosity significantly. It reduces resistance to flow and
accelerates clean-up in proppant-pack.
18 2% ClearFRAC*-HP
150F, 5 ppt QuikCLEAN-F 100,000
16 Control
2% ClearFRAC*-HP, 150 F
14 10,000 5 ppt QuikCLEAN-F

Viscosity (cP)
Resistance to flow

12
1,000
10

8 100
6
4 10

2
1
0
0.1 1 10 100 1,000
0 10 20 30 40
Time (min)
Shear Rate (sec )
-1

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 Non-emulsifying Agent for ClearFRAC*-
HP
A recently developed formulation has been identified as an effective
Non-emulsifying Agent (NEA-2) for ClearFRAC*-HP fluids. The
mixture should be delivered in the pre-pad stage, where crude oil meets
ClearFRAC fluid first.
• Test #1: 10ml 2% ClearFRAC*-HP, 10ml crude (Bakersfield, USA) #1 #3
• Test #2: 10ml 2% ClearFRAC*-HP, 10ml crude, 1 mL Standard NEA
• Test #3: 10ml 2% ClearFRAC*-HP, 10ml crude, 1.07 mL NEA-2
• Test #4: 10ml 2% ClearFRAC*-HP, 10ml crude, 1.20mL NEA-2
• Test #5: 10ml 2% ClearFRAC*-HP, 10ml crude, 1.33 mL NEA-2

Test# 1 2 3 4 5
Time needed for
complete emulsion > 1 day 30min. 10min. < 5min. 1 min.
breakage

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 ClearFRAC*-HP Benefit - Friction
Pressure Reduction
16,000

2.375"XX0.190"
1.75" 0.190"
88bpm;
bpm;44PPA
PPA
Surface Pressure (psi)

12,000

8,000

4,000
ClearFRAC* Fluid
20 ppt Guar
0

0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000

Depth/Length (ft)

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 ClearFRAC*-HP - Design
Considerations
• Candidate selection process is critical to successful application.
• General data collection.
– Well configuration: Tubing/ Casing/ Wellhead/Perforations/etc.
– Reservoir information.
• Select the fluid and proppant.
– ClearFRAC system selection based on rheology at surface and
BHT.
– ClearFRAC* compatibility with reservoir fluid.
• Perform economic calculations (treatment justification).
• Perform DataFRAC (calibration treatment).
• Finalize the design.
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 ClearFRAC*-HP - FracCADE
Considerations
• ClearFRAC* can be considered a power law fluid under
the shear rate conditions in the tubing and the fracture.
• Viscosity is constant @ temperature.
– Leakoff mechanism:
• Not a wall-building fluid (Ccv - leakoff viscosity).
• Function of pore fluid saturation.
– Non-damaging (fluid retained factor = 1)
– Proppant transport with low viscosity fluid.
• ClearFRAC* transports proppant very efficiently.

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 ClearFRAC*-HP - Additional
Considerations
• Near-wellbore effect:
– Minimize the Near-wellbore effect by perforation design (phasing,
entrance diameter, oriented perforations, etc. ), Using higher viscosity
in the Pad and sand slug (erosion).
• Fracturing multiple zones (laminated formations):
– To stimulate the entire zone. Rate and viscosity consideration.
• BHP (Foamed, energized or straight fluid)
• Gross height of stimulated interval:
– Higher fluid viscosity and pump rate are needed.
• Permeability
– FLA is possibly needed for higher permeability ( k > 50 mD)

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 ClearFRAC*-HP - Flowback
Considerations
• Flowback should be conducted in the same way other
fracturing fluids are returned.
CONSIDERATIONS
• The advantage of flowing back immediately reduces the
amount of fluid invasion in the matrix.
– standard practice of flowback is to begin immediately after treatment at
low rates, obtain closure and increase rate slowly.
– Use of breakers lower the low shear viscosity of fluid and thus lower
the amount of proppant flowback.
– A small choke at surface can cause foam generation on the surface.
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 Cost Comparison with ClearFRAC*-
MT
ClearFRAC*-HP is isolated from natural products without complex
synthetic processes. The average cost saving over first generation fluids,
like ClearFRAC*-MT, is approximately 45%.

60
50
Cost Saving (%)

40
30
20
10
0
80 110 130 150 170 180
Well Temperature (F)

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 ClearFRAC* - Case Histories
• > 5,000 ClearFRAC* treatments performed worldwide
• BHST: 75°–255°F
• Oil and Gas Wells
• Formation permeability of 0.001 to 1,000 mD
• Job Size up to 300,000 lbs proppant/zone
• Maximum downhole proppant concentration - 16 ppa
• Pump Rates: 6–60 bbl/min
• Pipe sizes from 1 3/4” Coiled Tubing to 7” casing
• Majority of treatments have been foamed with N2
• Friction pressure 10 to 65% less than polymer-based
fluids.

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 Case History - Gulf of Mexico, USA
• BHT - 140 oF
• BHP - 2,150 psi
• Permeability - 50 mD
• Net Height- 36 ft
• Well Type - Gas
• Young’s Modulus - 8x105 psi
• ClearFRAC*-MT in Sea Water
• FloSAVER Fluid Loss additive
• Fluid volume - 16,000 gal
• Proppant volume - 80,000 lbs

ClearFRAC*-MT Crosslinked Guar

No. of additives 2 8
Proppant Conc. 18.5 lb/ft2 7 lb/ft2
Prop Frac Length 73.3 ft 38.2 ft
Avg. Conductivity 29,041 mD-ft 7,792 mD-ft
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 Case History - Middle East
• Introduced ClearFRAC*-MT in a 4 well campaign.
• High permeability (> 500 mD) oil well.
• 1.5% ClearFRAC*-MT and PropNET for flowback control.
• Pressure trend indicate fracture packing and tip screenout.
• 50% friction reduction versus polymer-based fluid system.
• Highly conductive fracture, 2-times production compared to
polymer-based fracturing treatments.

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 Case History - Oklahoma, USA
• ClearFRAC*-HP Evaluation
– 61 treatments have been pumped.
– Pump rates from 15-60 bpm.
– ClearFRAC*-HP concentrations from 1-2%.
– Well depth from 2,000-6,000 ft.
– BHST from 90-160 °F.
– Total proppant pumped from 12,000-357,000 lb/stage.
– N2 foam quality from 65-70%
– Initial post-treatment evaluation shows average of 400% increase in
fracture conductivity and 50% increased fracture half-length for
ClearFRAC*-HP wells.

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 ClearFRAC* Summary
• First polymer-free water-based fracturing fluid
• 100% retained permeability of proppant pack
• Environmental friendly
• Simple and reliable system
100

• Superior proppant carrying capacity

Retained Conductivity (%)

80

60 • No residue in proppant pack

40 • Does not form filtercake
20 • Longer effective fracture length
0 • Enhanced oil/gas production
Guar Low Guar ClearFRAC
Fracturing Fluids

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 ClearFRAC*-HP Summary
• Performance
– Extensive field tests conducted. Better productions than polymer
wells have been observed.
• Fluid viscosity
– Higher fluid viscosity favors wider hydraulic fracture width.
• Breaker
– Enhanced flowback additives are available.
• Emulsion
– NEA-2 is available for crudes that form emulsions with
ClearFRAC*-HP
• Cost
– ~45% cost reduction compared to standard VES fluid systems.

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 Conclusion
Conventional Crosslinked Polymer-based Fluids Systems:
– High polymer concentration restricts flow, meaning less
effective fracture half-length.
Low Polymer Fluid Systems:
– Less polymer means lower damage, and better effective
fracture half-length and fracture conductivity.
ClearFRAC* Fluid Systems (NO Polymer Systems):
– NO polymer means NO residue to damage the fracture,
maximum effective fracture half-length and conductivity, and
hence, maximum production.

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