US 11,713,412 B2
Piperazine-based viscoelastic surfactants for hydraulic fracturing applications
Rajendra Arunkumar Kalgaonkar, Dhahran (SA); Eyad Alali, Dammam (SA); Mohammed Abudullah Bataweel, Dhahran (SA); Nisar Ullah, Dhahran (SA); and Muhammad Mansha, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA); and KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM & MINERALS, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA); and KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM & MINERALS, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Nov. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/454,705.
Prior Publication US 2023/0151265 A1, May 18, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C09K 8/60 (2006.01); C09K 8/84 (2006.01)
CPC C09K 8/604 (2013.01) [C09K 8/845 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for treating a hydrocarbon-containing formation, comprising:
injecting a wellbore fluid into a high permeability zone of a hydrocarbon-containing formation; and
increasing the temperature of the injected wellbore fluid via heating from the high permeability zone, resulting in the wellbore fluid having an increased viscosity;
wherein the wellbore fluid comprises:
a first surfactant having a structure represented by Formula (I):

OG Complex Work Unit Chemistry
wherein Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4 are the same and selected from a sulfonate, a carboxylate, an ester or a hydroxyl group, m is an integer ranging from 2 to 3, and n, o, and k are each, independently, integers ranging from 2 to 10;
a second surfactant having a structure represented by Formula (III):

OG Complex Work Unit Chemistry
wherein R2 is a C15—C27 hydrocarbon group or a C15—C29 substituted hydrocarbon group, R3 is a C1—C10 hydrocarbon group, and p and q are each, independently, an integer ranging from 1 to 4;
an alkaline earth metal halide activator; and
an aqueous base fluid.