Low surface tension surfactant system for enhancing flow-back performance
A hydraulic fracturing fluid and methods for using the hydraulic fracturing fluid fracturing a formation are provided. An exemplary hydraulic fracturing fluid includes a polymer additive, a breaker, a non-ionic surfactant. The hydraulic fracturing fluid also includes an amphoteric surfactant, or a cationic surfactant, or both, and a base fluid.
1. A hydraulic fracturing fluid, comprising:
a polymer additive;
a breaker;
a non-ionic surfactant, wherein the non-ionic surfactant comprises 2-[hydroxy(polyethyleneoxy)propyl]heptamethyltrisiloxane (HPTSO);
an amphoteric surfactant, wherein the amphoteric surfactant comprises 3-(N,N-dimethyltetradecylammonio)propanesulfonate (SB3-14); and
a base fluid, wherein the base fluid comprises a brine;
wherein a mass ratio of HTPSO to SB3-14 is less than 3 to 1.
2. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the polymer additive comprises a slickwater additive.
3. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 2 , wherein the slickwater additive comprises anionic polyacrylamide.
4. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the polymer additive comprises a gelling polymer.
5. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 4 , wherein the gelling polymer comprises a polysaccharide.
6. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 4 , wherein the gelling polymer comprises guar gum.
7. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the breaker comprises ammonium persulfate.
8. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 1 , further comprising a cationic surfactant, wherein the cationic surfactant comprises cetyl trimethylammonium bromide, or dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, or both.
9. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 1 , comprising a proppant.
10. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 9 , wherein the proppant comprises silica sand.
11. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 9 , wherein the proppant comprises ceramic, sintered bauxite, or nutshells, or any combination thereof.
12. The hydraulic fracturing fluid of claim 1 , comprising a chelating agent, a solvent, a foaming agent, or an encapsulated gas, or any combinations thereof.
13. A method for fracturing a formation using a surfactant blend as a flow-back enhancer, comprising:
preparing the surfactant blend in a base fluid, wherein the base fluid comprises a brine, wherein the surfactant blend comprises a first surfactant comprising a non-ionic surfactant, wherein the non-non-ionic surfactant comprises 2-[hydroxy (polyethyleneoxy)propyl]heptamethyltrisiloxane (HPTSO) and a second surfactant comprising a zwitterionic surfactant, wherein the zwitterionic surfactant comprises 3-(N,N-dimethyltetradecylammonio) propanesulfonate (SB3-14), wherein a mass ratio of HTPSO to SB3-14 is less than 3 to 1;
mixing a fracturing fluid comprising the surfactant blend;
suspending a proppant in the fracturing fluid; and
injecting the fracturing fluid into the formation.
14. The method of claim 13 , comprising recovering the fracturing fluid returned to the surface.
15. The method of claim 13 , comprising mixing a friction-reducing additive with the fracturing fluid.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the friction-reducing additive comprises anionic polyacrylamide.
17. The method of claim 15 , comprising mixing a breaker with the fracturing fluid.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the breaker comprises ammonium persulfate.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein injecting the fracturing fluid into the formation comprises using a high-pressure pump to create fractures and to place the proppant into the fractures.
20. The method of claim 13 , comprising incorporating fracturing chemicals into the base fluid, wherein the fracturing chemicals comprise a biocide, a stabilizer, a pH buffer, an acid, or a chelating agent, or any combinations thereof.
21. The method of claim 13 , comprising incorporating foaming agents into the fracturing fluid, wherein the foaming agents decompose to release N 2 , or CO 2 , or both.
22. The method of claim 13 , comprising suspending the proppant in the fracturing fluid by mixing the proppant into a fracturing fluid stream during the injection of the fracturing fluid into the formation.
23. The method of claim 13 , comprising suspending the proppant in the fracturing fluid by mixing the proppant into a tank holding the mixed fracturing fluid.
24. The method of claim 13 , wherein the surfactant blend further comprises a cationic surfactant, wherein the cationic surfactant comprises cetyl trimethylammonium bromide, or dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, or both.