Lowering Fresh Water Usage in Hydraulic Fracturing by Stabilizing scCO2 Foam with Polyelectrolyte Complex Nanoparticles Prepared in High Salinity Produced Water

Abstract

Abstract Polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticle (PECNP) systems compatible with produced water were developed to improve supercritical CO2 (scCO2) foam stability and to reduce fluid loss for fracturing applications. Foam viscosity, stability, fluid loss properties and cleanup of injected liquid through the formation were enhanced by PECNP-surfactant systems prepared in produced water medium. Taking advantage of produced water as energized fluids for fracturing requires enhanced compatibility of gas/liquid mixture. Two produced water recipes of 33,333 and 66,666ppm TDS were used to prepare 1 w/w% surfactant solutions. PECNP was formed as a mixture of positively- and negatively- charged polyelectrolytes. Experimental setup was designed to determine the aqueous foam stability at actual reservoir conditions. Rheological measurement was performed to measure the stability of the bulk foam under shear and to evaluate the foam texture properties. The improved viscosity of different proportions of PECNP-Surfactant (9:1, 8:2, 7:3, and 6:4) in aqueous foam mixtures was observed as compared to surfactant stabilized CO2 foam. The flow consistency index observed in the shear thinning region was also increased from 1184.3 to 2916.4 Pa sn in 33,333ppm and from 1035.7 to 1683.1 Pa snin 66,666ppm brine solutions. The view cell results revealed the high stability and longevity of scCO2 foam employing various proportions of surfactant to nanoparticle as oppose to surfactant generated foam in which the foam height shortened faster. The presented scCO2 generated foam can preserve the foam cellular structure in absence of crude oil. The PECNP-Surfactant system successfully lowered the interfacial tension to up to 74% and 93% for 33,333 and 66,666ppm brine salinity, respectively. Fluid loss was measured to evaluate fluid leak-off from a core when the high flow velocity along the core exists. The fluid loss for both CO2 and water leak-off were also lowered employing PECNP- Surfactant containing foam.