US 12,221,580 B1
Dual-polymer hydraulic fracturing fluid and method for pumping the same into subterranean formations
Tariq Abdulsattar Almubarak, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/471,499.
Int. Cl. E21B 43/27 (2006.01); C09K 8/62 (2006.01); E21B 43/267 (2006.01)
CPC C09K 8/62 (2013.01) [E21B 43/267 (2013.01); E21B 43/27 (2020.05)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of single-stage hydraulic fracturing, comprising:
preparing a dual-polymer base fluid including:
a polysaccharide polymer; and
a polyacrylamide polymer;
pumping the dual-polymer base fluid into a wellbore drilled into a formation using one or more pumps;
performing a minifrac operation upon the formation at a first pump rate using the dual-polymer base fluid in an uncrosslinked state;
conveying a downhole tool operable to record temperature data into the wellbore after performing the minifrac operation;
retrieving the downhole tool from the wellbore;
after retrieving the downhole tool, adding a crosslinker to the dual-polymer base fluid while simultaneously pumping the dual-polymer base fluid into the wellbore at a second pump rate higher than the first pump rate, thereby forming a crosslinked polymer in the wellbore;
inducing one or more fractures in the formation at the second pump rate;
adding proppant to the dual-polymer base fluid while simultaneously pumping the dual-polymer base fluid into the wellbore at the second pump rate;
injecting the proppant into the one or more fractures at the second pump rate;
reducing a pump pressure of the one or more pumps below the second pump rate; and
after reducing pump pressure below the second pump rate, flowing the dual-polymer base fluid back into the wellbore for recovery thereof.