Many fracturing fluids are based on guar and guar derivatives, primarily because of their abundance and capability to operate at relatively high temperatures when formulated at high pH. However, insoluble residue in guar can damage permeability especially in unconventional formations. Another issue for applying guar-based fluids at high pH is the tendency to form scales with divalent ions. The fluid cost can also be strongly influenced by the volatility of the guar price. A third disadvantage is their low thermal stability when the temperature exceeds around 350 ° F.
To mitigate these operating issues, a low-damaging, high-temperature fluid system without elevated fluid pH is developed by DESHI.