Sugar Alcohols as Crosslinking Delay Additives for Fracturing Fluids
The development of thermally stable fracturing fluids is essential for the effective stimulation of deep and low-permeability reservoirs. The stabilizing additives used in these fluids typically fall into three categories: crosslinking delay molecules, oxygen scavengers, and pH buffers. However, man...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| author | Tariq Almubarak Mohammed I. Alabdrabalnabi Abdualilah Albaiz Mohammed Yami |
| author_facet | Tariq Almubarak Mohammed I. Alabdrabalnabi Abdualilah Albaiz Mohammed Yami |
| author_sort | Tariq Almubarak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The development of thermally stable fracturing fluids is essential for the effective stimulation of deep and low-permeability reservoirs. The stabilizing additives used in these fluids typically fall into three categories: crosslinking delay molecules, oxygen scavengers, and pH buffers. However, many conventional additives raise toxicity and environmental concerns, prompting the search for safer alternatives. This study investigates the use of sugar alcohols, commonly used as low-calorie sweeteners, as environmentally responsible additives for high-temperature fracturing fluids. A guar-based fluid system was formulated at a pH of 10 and evaluated using a high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) rheometer under simulated field pumping conditions at 300 °F for a 90 min period. The viscosity was measured at a shear rate of 100 s<sup>−1</sup>, with intermittent low-shear rates introduced to assess the structural recovery and fluid integrity. The effect of sugar alcohol concentration on crosslinking delay was examined across systems containing varying amounts of a zirconium-based crosslinker ranging from 1 to 4 gpt. The results demonstrated that sugar alcohols effectively delayed crosslinking, allowing for controlled viscosity development and improved stability at elevated temperatures. When optimized at concentrations of 2 ppt of the sugar alcohol with 4 gpt of the crosslinker, the fluid generated a peak viscosity of 600 cP after 2.5 min and maintained a viscosity above 300 cP throughout the 90 min test. Breaker results showed a controlled viscosity reduction, with final viscosity values reaching 10 cP. The proppant settling experiments confirmed the suspension of more than 95% of the proppant during the treatment window. These findings highlight the potential of sugar alcohols as effective and environmentally safer crosslinking delay additives for hydraulic fracturing applications. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-463a5ca409c44bca993feb3bf19b8065 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj-art-463a5ca409c44bca993feb3bf19b80652025-08-20T03:27:25ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612025-06-0111645710.3390/gels11060457Sugar Alcohols as Crosslinking Delay Additives for Fracturing FluidsTariq Almubarak0Mohammed I. Alabdrabalnabi1Abdualilah Albaiz2Mohammed Yami3EXPEC Advanced Research Center—Saudi Aramco, Dhahran 31311, Saudi ArabiaEXPEC Advanced Research Center—Saudi Aramco, Dhahran 31311, Saudi ArabiaEXPEC Advanced Research Center—Saudi Aramco, Dhahran 31311, Saudi ArabiaEXPEC Advanced Research Center—Saudi Aramco, Dhahran 31311, Saudi ArabiaThe development of thermally stable fracturing fluids is essential for the effective stimulation of deep and low-permeability reservoirs. The stabilizing additives used in these fluids typically fall into three categories: crosslinking delay molecules, oxygen scavengers, and pH buffers. However, many conventional additives raise toxicity and environmental concerns, prompting the search for safer alternatives. This study investigates the use of sugar alcohols, commonly used as low-calorie sweeteners, as environmentally responsible additives for high-temperature fracturing fluids. A guar-based fluid system was formulated at a pH of 10 and evaluated using a high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) rheometer under simulated field pumping conditions at 300 °F for a 90 min period. The viscosity was measured at a shear rate of 100 s<sup>−1</sup>, with intermittent low-shear rates introduced to assess the structural recovery and fluid integrity. The effect of sugar alcohol concentration on crosslinking delay was examined across systems containing varying amounts of a zirconium-based crosslinker ranging from 1 to 4 gpt. The results demonstrated that sugar alcohols effectively delayed crosslinking, allowing for controlled viscosity development and improved stability at elevated temperatures. When optimized at concentrations of 2 ppt of the sugar alcohol with 4 gpt of the crosslinker, the fluid generated a peak viscosity of 600 cP after 2.5 min and maintained a viscosity above 300 cP throughout the 90 min test. Breaker results showed a controlled viscosity reduction, with final viscosity values reaching 10 cP. The proppant settling experiments confirmed the suspension of more than 95% of the proppant during the treatment window. These findings highlight the potential of sugar alcohols as effective and environmentally safer crosslinking delay additives for hydraulic fracturing applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/6/457hydraulic fracturingrheologyviscosity controlproppant suspensionoxidizers breakersustainability |
| spellingShingle | Tariq Almubarak Mohammed I. Alabdrabalnabi Abdualilah Albaiz Mohammed Yami Sugar Alcohols as Crosslinking Delay Additives for Fracturing Fluids Gels hydraulic fracturing rheology viscosity control proppant suspension oxidizers breaker sustainability |
| title | Sugar Alcohols as Crosslinking Delay Additives for Fracturing Fluids |
| title_full | Sugar Alcohols as Crosslinking Delay Additives for Fracturing Fluids |
| title_fullStr | Sugar Alcohols as Crosslinking Delay Additives for Fracturing Fluids |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sugar Alcohols as Crosslinking Delay Additives for Fracturing Fluids |
| title_short | Sugar Alcohols as Crosslinking Delay Additives for Fracturing Fluids |
| title_sort | sugar alcohols as crosslinking delay additives for fracturing fluids |
| topic | hydraulic fracturing rheology viscosity control proppant suspension oxidizers breaker sustainability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/6/457 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tariqalmubarak sugaralcoholsascrosslinkingdelayadditivesforfracturingfluids AT mohammedialabdrabalnabi sugaralcoholsascrosslinkingdelayadditivesforfracturingfluids AT abdualilahalbaiz sugaralcoholsascrosslinkingdelayadditivesforfracturingfluids AT mohammedyami sugaralcoholsascrosslinkingdelayadditivesforfracturingfluids |