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. 2023 Jun 29;28(13):5104.
doi: 10.3390/molecules28135104.

Fracturing Fluid Polymer Thickener with Superior Temperature, Salt and Shear Resistance Properties from the Synergistic Effect of Double-Tail Hydrophobic Monomer and Nonionic Polymerizable Surfactant

Shenglong Shi  1 , Jinsheng Sun  1   2 , Kaihe Lv  1 , Jingping Liu  1 , Yingrui Bai  1 , Jintang Wang  1 , Xianbin Huang  1 , Jiafeng Jin  1 , Jian Li  1
Affiliations

Fracturing Fluid Polymer Thickener with Superior Temperature, Salt and Shear Resistance Properties from the Synergistic Effect of Double-Tail Hydrophobic Monomer and Nonionic Polymerizable Surfactant

Shenglong Shi et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

To develop high-salinity, high-temperature reservoirs, two hydrophobically associating polymers as fracturing fluid thickener were respectively synthesized through aqueous solution polymerization with acrylamide (AM), acrylic acid (AA), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), nonionic polymerizable surfactant (NPS) and double-tail hydrophobic monomer (DHM). The thickener ASDM (AM/AA/AMPS/NPS/DHM) and thickener ASD (AM/AA/AMPS/DHM) were compared in terms of properties of water dissolution, thickening ability, rheological behavior and sand-carrying. The results showed that ASDM could be quickly diluted in water within 6 min, 66.7% less than that of ASD. ASDM exhibited salt-thickening performance, and the apparent viscosity of 0.5 wt% ASDM reached 175.9 mPa·s in 100,000 mg/L brine, 100.6% higher than that of ASD. The viscosity of 0.5 wt% ASDM was 85.9 mPa·s after shearing for 120 min at 120 °C and at 170 s-1, 46.6% higher than that of ASD. ASDM exhibited better performance in thickening ability, viscoelasticity, shear recovery, thixotropy and sand-carrying than ASD. The synergistic effect of hydrophobic association and linear entanglement greatly enhancing the performance of ASDM and the compactness of the spatial network structure of the ASDM was enhanced. In general, ASDM exhibited great potential for application in extreme environmental conditions with high salt and high temperatures.

Keywords: fracturing fluid polymer thickener; high-salinity and high-temperature; hydrophobic association; linear entanglement; synergistic effect.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
All monomer structures and chemical composition of the polymer ASDM. (A) Monomer structures. (B) Polymer ASDM. (C) Polymer ASD.
Figure 2
Figure 2
FTIR spectra of ASD and ASDM.
Figure 3
Figure 3
1H NMR spectra of ASDM.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The CAC of ASD and ASDM.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Changes in solution conductivity as a function of time during the dissolution of 0.2 wt% polymers.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Variation in the viscosity as a function of inorganic salt concentrations. (A) Compound salt brine. (B) MgCl2 and CaCl2.
Figure 7
Figure 7
The Viscoelasticity of ASDM and ASD. (A–D) strain scanning curve, (E–H) frequency scanning curve.
Figure 8
Figure 8
The thixotropic loop of the 0.5 wt% ASDM solution and 0.5 wt% ASD solution.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Shear recovery measurement of 0.5 wt% ASDM solution and 0.5 wt% ASD solution.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Temperature- and shear-resistance performance of 0.5 wt% ASDM solution and 0.5 wt% ASD solution.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Morphological and mechanical images of ASD and ASDM.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Synthesis route of double-tail hydrophobic monomer.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Synthesis route of ASD.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Synthesis route of ASDM.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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