Because of potential reduced cost and improved retained conductivity, high viscosity friction reducers (HVFRs) are becoming increasingly popular in hydraulic fracturing stages where linear or crosslinked guar gels are traditionally used. However, concerns remain regarding the proppant transport capability of HVFRs relative to that of traditional linear gels. To address these concerns, the proppant transport capability of a polyacrylamide-based HVFR is compared with that of linear guar at cost-parity concentrations. Correlation between the proppant transport capability and rheological properties of the fluids, including viscosity and elasticity, is also discussed.
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