Empirical study of gum ghatti as an alternative thickening agent in hydraulic fracturing

Abstract

Gum ghatti (anogeissus latifolia) is being widely used as an emulsifier, thickener, stabilizer in food, pharmaceutical, and allied industries due to its shelf life, tolerance of heat, and pH stability. Considering the oil & gas industry application, it is ideal for a hydraulic fracturing fluid additive as a direct replacement for guar gum. Basically, unlike guar gum, it contains less residual hull and it is suitable for low permeability unconventional reservoir; mainly shale gas reservoir, where permeability counts trivial in amount. The polymer of ghatti aid exceptional rheological properties and help to produce higher molecular weight polymer; which has excellent proppant carrying capacity and fracture propagation. In this paper, the experimental study has been carried out in two different phases. This was achieved through optimization and characterization of hydraulic fracturing fluid which was embedded with gum matrices. In Phase-I, the study was carried out by using response surface methodology (RSM). Wherein, the relation between several explanatory and response variables have been measured. In Phase-II, the characterization was done by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and also, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). This experimental study will potentially benefit for development of a new hydraulic fracturing fluid. Where gum ghatti observed as a satisfactory alternative agent for guar gum.

Keywords

• Hydraulic fracturing fluid
• Gum ghatti
• Rheological properties
• Polymer science
• Unconventional reservoir