APPLICATION OF ALUMINIUM CHLOROHYDRATE IN VISCOSIFYING BRINEFOR CARRYING PROPPANTS IN GRAVEL PACKING

摘要

New compositions have been discovered which arc useful as slurry concentrates to carry solid particles along in a fluid. A non-limiting example would be to carry proppants in a concentrate to a completion fluid being pumped downhole in a hydrocarbon recovery operation. The composition employs both a trivalent salt, such as aluminum chlorohydrate, as a viscosifying agent, and a surfactant. Surprisingly, it has been discovered that a synergistic effect is present between the aluminum chlorohydrate and the surfactant in that less of each component is required when both are used together to suspend the same amount of solids, than if one or the other is used separately. The viscoelasticity of the concentrate may be easily broken by dilution; other mechanisms are also anticipated.