Performance Evaluation of Guar Gum as a Carrier Fluid for Hydraulic Fracturing

摘要

This work was carried to study Guar gum as a Hydraulic Fracturing carrier fluid and also to look at how we can properly optimize the properties of the Guar gum to achieve a very efficient carrier fluid that will suspend proppant into the formation.The problems that necessitated the carrying out of this project was that over the years there has been failure in hydraulic fracturing operation due to shear degradation of Guar carrier fluid, high temperature denaturing of Guar carrier fluid and insoluble residue formation from Guar carrier fluid which may cause formation damage.These problems where studied using shear history simulator, high temperature and high pressure viscometer and also API RP39 procedure which gives the guideline for testing carrier fluid. It was established through this work that proper optimizing of the guar concentration can be used to control the shear degradation and temperature effect on the Guar carrier fluid. Also with the application of necessary additives, the Guar carried fluid can be used in a very high temperature formation.