Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

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Materials Today: Proceedings

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Application of low temperature fracturing fluid system in oil

reservoir – A breakthrough approach
Tapas Kumar Dora a, Mohammed Ismail Iqbal b, Kudapa Vamsi Krishna c,⇑, Saubhagya Ranjan Mahapatra d,
Marwa Ali Alnuumani b, Ibrahim Al Rajawy e
a
Chemical Engineering Dept., GMR Institute of Technology, Rajam, Andhra Pradesh, India
b
Faculty of Oil and Gas, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Nizwa, Oman
c
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Bidholi Campus, Dehradun 248001, India
d
Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab 140413, India
e
Lincoln University College, Malaysia

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Fracturing fluid formulation is crucial for successful hydraulic fracturing, especially in low-temperature
Available online xxxx reservoirs. Low-temperature Indian reservoirs are fractured with borate-based fluids. Temperature, pH,
shear history, and cross linker-polymer bond affect fracturing fluid stability. Optimization of breaker
Keywords: and cross linker is crucial for gel stability to carry proppant deep into the formation and smooth post-
Cross-linked gel job flow from low-temperature reservoirs. Without a proper breaker, earlier fracturing operations used
Hydraulic fracturing linear gel compositions, compromising flow return. These formulations restrict high-concentration prop-
Indian reservoir
pant use. Many studies were conducted to optimize the breaker-complexes for smooth flow back in sim-
Proppant
pH
ulated reservoir conditions. These formulations feature an in-house developed breaker that works well
for low-temperature reservoirs (near ambient to 55 °C). This paper covers newly created low temperature
fracturing fluid formulations, lab studies and successful field implementations.
Ó 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Indo-US International
Conferences on Materials & Sustainable Engineering in Chemical and Allied Industry.

1. Introduction and the proppant is pumped in to the formation using high HP

The main objective of hydraulic fracturing is to create highly
conductive flow channels from well bore too deep in to the for-
mation to facilitate the hydrocarbons to flow from the reservoir
in to the wellbore. The proppant is placed in the formation frac-
tures through a carrier fluid called fracturing fluid. First a linear
gel of 40 cps is prepared and its pH is adjusted to 9.5 and when
cross linker is added this fluid it forms high viscous cross linked
fluid which is capable of carrying the proppant deep in to the
formation. Hydraulic fracturing technique is used to accomplish
the objective of fracturing ie for creation of more conductive
flow channels for formation fluids to flow in to the well bore
[1]. Pad is the first cross linked fluid to be pumped which cre-
ates the fractures in the formation, propagates the fractures deep
in to the formation and controls the fracturing fluid leak of in to
the formation[2].Then the slurry composed of cross linked gel
⇑ Corresponding author.
E-mail address: vamsikrishna234353@gmail.com (K. Vamsi Krishna).
frac pumpers. The proppant is in suspended manner in cross
linked fluid. Early breaking of the cross-linked fluid leads to
proppant screen out and at the same time very much delay in
breaking leads to un desirable sand to flow back during flow
back operations. The proppant sand keeps the fracture fissure
open when the pumping is stopped and allowed the well to flow
back. The breaker reduces the viscosity of the cross linked fluid
to Newtonian stage leaving behind the proppant in the newly
created fractures[3,4].(See Table 1.Table 2.Table 3.).
During fracturing creation of monolayer of proppant is avoided
because the grains encounter each other and thus permeability or
conductivity is reduced. Both partial and full mono layer can be
embedded in the formation if the closure pressure is high or the
formation is soft in nature. With a high closure pressure, one layer
of proppant may be crushed more easily than a multi-layer [5].
Hydraulic fracturing relies heavily on polymers. For fracturing
water, polymers are commonly employed to improve the viscosity
of the fluid. Hydraulic fracturing makes use of two types of poly-
mers: linear gels (drag reducers) and cross-linked gels (transport

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2022.06.141
2214-7853/Ó 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Indo-US International Conferences on Materials & Sustainable Engineering in Chemical and
Allied Industry.

Please cite this article as: T. Kumar Dora, M. Ismail Iqbal, K. Vamsi Krishna et al., Application of low temperature fracturing fluid system in oil reservoir – A
breakthrough approach, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2022.06.141
T. Kumar Dora, M. Ismail Iqbal, K. Vamsi Krishna et al. Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Table 1
Observations and Influences of breaker system.

S. Breaker system At 50 °C Performance of the Breaker system Observation and Inference

No
1 Conventional breaking with Ammonium per Require high dosage 0.10%-0.50% Of Ammonium per
sulphate sulphate
2 Enzyme Breaker Enzyme Breakers perform effectively at low temperatures.
3 Bleaching Powder Breaking occurs within the stipulated time with limited
success.
4 Polyol Breaking with ferrous chloride catalyst Breaking occurs within the stipulated time with limited
success.
5 Potassium permanganate Breaker. Permanganate acts as complexer and breaker. Breaking
occurs within the stipulated time.
6 The Chelating agent with oxidative breaker (The Breaks down the cross linked gel to Newtonian stage within
system of interest) the stipulated time.
High dosage of APS has adverse effect on the
environment.
Enzyme Breakers are of high cost and not
available indigenously.
The cross linked gel undergoes syneresis.
Availability of ferrous chloride is a problem.
High dosage breaks very early and low
dosage takes lengthy time.
Can be implemented comfortably for low
temperatures.

Table 2
Effect of Different Dosage of Aps at Different Temperatures.

S.No Temperature in 0C AT pH Value 9.5 And Borax 0.05% APS Dosage Observation Inference
1 70 Linear gel 0.04% Broken within four hours 0.04% of APS can be affordable to EMS
2 70 X Linked gel 0.04% Broken within four hours 0.04% of APS can be affordable to EMS
3 65 Linear gel 0.07% Broken within four hours 0.07% of APS has adverse effect to EMS
4 65 X Linked gel 0.07% Broken within four hours 0.07% of APS has adverse effect to EMS
5 60 Linear gel 0.08% Broken within four hours 0.08% of APS has adverse effect to EMS
6 60 X Linked gel 0.08% Broken within four hours 0.08% of APS has adverse effect to EMS
7 50 Linear gel 0.10% Broken within four hours 0.10% of APS has adverse effect to EMS
8 50 X Linked gel 0.10% Broken within four hours 0.10% of APS has adverse effect to EMS

Table 3
Effect of different Dosage of Aps + Tea at Different Temperatures.

S.No Temperature in 0C AT pH Value 9.5 And Borax 0.05% APS + TEA Dosage Observation Inference
1 60 Linear gel 0.03%+0.04% Broken within three hours 0.03% of APS can be affordable to EMS.
2 60 X Linked gel 0.03%+0.04% Broken within three hours 0.03% of APS can be affordable to EMS.
3 55 Linear gel 0.04%+0.04% Broken within four hours 0.04% of APS can be affordable to EMS..
4 55 X Linked gel 0.04%+0.04% Broken within four hours 0.04% of APS can be affordable to EMS.
5 50 Linear gel 0.03%+0.04% Broken within four hours 0.03% of APS can be affordable to EMS.
6 50 X Linked gel 0.03%+0.04% Broken within four hours 0.03% of APS can be affordable to EMS.
7 50 Linear gel 0.03%+0.06 Broken within three hours 0.03% of APS can be affordable to EMS.
8 50 X Linked gel 0.03%+0.06 Broken within three hours 0.03% of APS can be affordable to EMS.

medium for the proppant)[6,7]. Distribution of proppant in frac-
tures may be as partial monolayer, embedded monolayer or as a
multi-layer. The partial monolayer is most conductive or perme-
able layer. As more proppant is added to the fracture, a monolayer
is achieved and thus conductivity or permeability starts decreas-
ing. As still more proppant is added, the multilayer is achieved as
a result conductivity or permeability begins to increase. The prop-
pant is transported in to the fractures by the cross linked fluid hav-
ing thousands of cps viscosity. The settling rate depends up on fluid
viscosity, proppant diameter, density, concentration and fracture
dimensions[8,9].
Proppant movement in slick-water fracturing fluids in shale
reservoirs is rate-dependent. This is because the polymer concen-
tration in slick water is low, resulting in low viscosity, which ren-
ders the proppant in the fracturing fluid incapable of being
suspended. Proppant transport is dominated in this situation by
the movement of the proppant itself. Gelled aqueous fluids, on
the other hand, account for most of the fracturing fluids used. A
polymeric gelling agent is ideal for fracturing fluids to achieve
gelation. The gelled fracturing fluid keeps the proppants suspended
in the fluid and carries them to the fractures in the reservoir. A
layer of high viscosity polymer (filter cake) that forms on the frac-
ture face prevents further fracturing fluid leakage into the forma-
tion rock[10-12].
Maxey et al[13] found that nanoparticle-modified VES systems
were stable at high temperatures, had superior elastic behaviour,
and produced pseudo-filter cakes during fluid loss. Micelle–micelle
interactions and the strengthening of elongated micelle structures
were seen when inorganic crystal nanoparticles were added to an
amine oxide surfactant. Using 400 mD ceramic discs to model the
fracture face, very low concentrations of 35 nm particles (0.007–
0.12% by weight) resulted in excellent fluid loss qualities.
Instead of depending on breakers to react under reservoir con-
ditions where pH and temperature vary greatly, Weaver et al.[14]
and Peles et al[4] produced a modified (depolymerized) guar-
based material by breaking the polymer backbone in the first
chemical manufacturing facility. These guar products with low
molecular weight are high in galactose and disintegrate without
the use of external breakers. As long as the polymer concentration
is over the critical overlap concentration of small polymer chains,
the lower molecular weight polymer forms a significantly denser
structure that can result in high viscosities.
Aim of this research is to find a suitable breaker and cross-linker
composition to be mixed with base polymer for effective carrying
of proppants to the desired depth under lower temperatures rang-
ing between 40 and 60 °C. This optimum composition will reduce
the effect of extra chemicals on environment and helps in effective
transportation of proppants to desire locations.

2
T. Kumar Dora, M. Ismail Iqbal, K. Vamsi Krishna et al.
2. Methodology
2.1. Materials
A new breaking system comprising of an oxidative breaker and
a chelating agent developed to break the cross linked gel at the low
temperature range of 40–60 °C. The chelating agent activates the
oxidative breaker and facilitates the release of the oxygen at this
temperature range as a result the cross-linked gel breaks down
to Newtonian stage with in the stipulated time. The chelating
agent maintains pH of the linear gel around 10.0 and hence no
specific buffering reagent is required in this system. The chelating
agent also sequesters the Iron and hence no separate sequestering
agent is required in this system. It is better to maintain the concen-
tration of chelating agent to oxidative breaker in the ratio of
2:1 mol for an effective breaking system in this temperature range.
The new breaker system works effectively in lower concentrations
without much bearing on the environment management system.
Use of this new breaking system will open a new field of work
for low temperature breaker.
2.2. Experimental details
For the purpose of studies, gelling agent grade-II was taken as
the hydratable polymer. Gelling agent grade-II is a naturally occur-
ring guar polymer. It is a galacto mannanose polymer with water
insoluble mannanose with 1:4 beta D mannanosidic linkages and
with water-soluble galactose branched chain with 1:6 alpha- D-
galacto mannanosidic linkage. The gelling agent grade-II is the
powder particles mostly composed U.S mesh size of 100–200.Thus
0.50% of this polymer when dispersed in distilled water at room
temperature for 45 min to form a linear gel which yields a viscosity
of 40 cps when measured with Fan V G meter at 300 rpm (511
Shear rate). For 200 ml of this solution, add 0.04% of borax solution
as cross linker, sufficient quantity of new breaker system. Thus,
formed cross-linked gel is subjected 100 rpm (175-shear rate) in
a HAAKE Viscometer at a particular low temperature for six hours’
time for break time studies. Prepared another 200 ml of cross
linked gel with the new breaker system in a glass beaker and keep
the beaker with the contents in a water bath at that particular low
temperature and study the break down behaviour of the cross
linked complex at every one hour time using FAN VG Meter till
the complex breaks down to Newtonian stage.
Chains of monomers with a high molecular weight are known
as polymers. The viscosity of a solution will be greatly increased
if a polymer is added to it. It is possible to explain the increase
in viscosity by the intense friction between the polymer macro-
molecules and the surrounding solvent molecules. The degree to
which a polymer solution’s viscosity can be increased depends
on the solution’s polymer and solvent compositions[20].
Linear polymers can also produce a macromolecule with a net-
work structure by connecting at multiple locations on the polymer
chains. Cross-linking of a polymer is the term for this process.
Cross-linking polymers can be done in a variety of ways, depending
on the type of polymer. It is possible to cross-link polymers by con-
densation or by covalent bonding between polymeric chains by
sulphur vulcanization, irradiation, or chemical reactions with
warmth or pressure[20].
3. Results and discussions
For the success of fracturing job, the role of the breaker becomes
extremely vital. The breaking of Crossed linked gel releases the
proppant in desired way rather than remaining in as a clustered
mass of the cross-linked fluid. The enzyme breakers work effec-
3
Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx
tively at low temperatures but they are not available indigenously.
The oxidative breaker like Ammonium persulphate performs effec-
tively above 70 °C and at low temperature range (45 °C to 60 °C)
high concentrations of per sulphate or per borates are required
which adversely affect the environment management system.
3.1. Mechanism
It is the polymer concentration and viscosity of the fracture flu-
ids that differentiate gelled and slick water. Based on yield viscos-
ity, Fig. 1 shows three typical concentration zones for gelled and
slippery-water fracture fluids. The slippery water lies below the
dilute low-concentration zone. Most cross-linked polymers can
be found in the semi dilute zone of a solution. Over-cross-linking
occurs when the polymer concentration in the gel exceeds the con-
centration range. Syneresis is the name given to this phenomena
[15,16].(See Fig. 2.).
Now, the role of the breaker becomes extremely vital. The
proper breaking of cross-linked gel releases the proppant in
desired way rather than remaining in as a clustered mass with
the cross-linked fluid. The enzyme breakers work effectively at
low temperatures but they are not available indigenously[18].
The oxidative breakers like per sulphates and per borates perform
effectively above 70 °C and at low temperature range (45 to 60 °C)
high concentrations of per-sulphates or per borates are required,
which adversely effect the environment management system. In
the past conducted too numerous experiments for the develop-
ment of breaker for low temperature wells. The main objective of
this study is to design a suitable fracking fluid with a combination
of polymers linked with cross-linked additives. The study of break-
ing the cross linked gel with bleaching powder is limited success as
the cross linked gel undergoes syneresis[9,19]. The polyol breaking
of cross-linked gel with ferrous chloride catalyst is successful at
this low temperature range however; the availability of ferrous
chloride indigenously is also a problem.
3.2. Observations
In the past conducted many numerous experiments for the
development of breaker for low temperature wells. The study of
breaking the cross-linked gel with bleaching powder is limited suc-
cess as the cross linked gel undergoes syneresis. The polyol break-
ing of cross-linked gel with ferrous chloride catalyst is successful at
this low temperature range however; the availability of ferrous
chloride indigenously is also a problem. The details are given
below.
3.3. Field application
The newly developed low temperature breaker WSS_LTB40 is
planned for pilot application in one of the fields in Western
Gel breaking time 4-5 hrs
Fig. 1. Breakdown curve using 0.03 %APS + 0.04 %TEA conc.
T. Kumar Dora, M. Ismail Iqbal, K. Vamsi Krishna et al.
Fig. 2. Represents the variation of polymer viscosity with the concentration of
polymer[17].
Gel breaking time a2 hrs
Fig. 3. Breakdown curve using 0.04 %APS + 0.04 %TEA.
Onshore (Fig. 3). The well is a shallow well with zone depth of
about 800 m and formation temperature of  50 °C. The shallow-
ness of the well and possibility of proximity of pay zone to potable
water bodies presents an environmental concern, that would be
successfully addressed by application of this new breaker system.
4. Conclusion
The experimental results proved that with increase in the
dosage of APS + TEA, it was observed that the polymer retains for
maximum time without reducing its polymer nature. The newly
developed formulation for low temperature breaker WSS_LTB40
provides an excellent gel breaking capacity in low temperature
regime of 40 to 60 °C. The same will be field tested in a low tem-
perature shallow well in near future. The novelty of this low tem-
perature breaker will be an eco-friendly measure, apart from
providing a suitable gel breaking. The same formulation would
be useful in extremely shallow wells (400–600 m) and Coalbed
methane wells.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Tapas Kumar Dora: Conceptualization. Mohammed Ismail
Iqbal: Writing – original draft, Validation. Kudapa Vamsi Krishna:
Resources, Formal analysis. Saubhagya Ranjan Mahapatra: Writ-
4
Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx
ing – review & editing. Marwa Ali Alnuumani: . Ibrahim Al
Rajawy: .
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare the following financial interests/personal
relationships which may be considered as potential competing
interests: Dr.Vamsi Krishna Kudapa reports administrative support
and writing assistance were provided by University of Petroleum
and Energy Studies. Dr.Vamsi Krishna Kudapa reports a relationship
with University of Petroleum and Energy Studies that includes:
employment.
Acknowledgements
It gives us huge joy to accept this open door of offering our gen-
uine thanks towards people who straightforwardly or by implica-
tion help in finishing the whole project. We express our ardent
gratitude to our Dean Dr. Gurvinder Singh Virk, SOE and Dr. Devesh
Kumar Avasthi, Dean-R & D, UPES, Dehradun, without whom this
endeavor would not have been productive and for permitting us
the opportunity to achieve this work. We wish to offer gratitude
to them for their assistance and support we got through the
investigation.
Declaration of Competing Interest
Dr.Vamsi Krishna Kudapa reports administrative support and
writing assistance were provided by University of Petroleum and
Energy Studies. Dr.Vamsi Krishna Kudapa reports a relationship
with University of Petroleum and Energy Studies that includes:
employment.
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