The present invention provides a contraction agent for a water-absorbing resin that is used as a proppant in stratum hydraulic fracturing, the contraction agent containing: a metal ion-containing substance and a breaking agent for water-absorbing resins used in stratum hydraulic fracturing; and an iron ion-containing substance and/or ascorbic acid, and/or a persulfate. Also provided is a kit for use in stratum hydraulic fracturing, the kit provided with a swelling agent containing a water-absorbing resin, an iron ion-containing substance, and ascorbic acid, the kit being for stratum hydraulic fracturing, wherein the kit consists of A) a proppant containing a water-absorbing resin, and B) a contraction agent for the water-absorbing resin containing a metal ion-containing substance.

A fines-fixing agent that has improved compatibility with organic complexed borate fracturing fluids is disclosed. Existing fines fixing agents have a high concentration of unreacted caustic that results in a product pH of approximately 12. This high pH affects the crosslinker and the overall fracturing fluid system stability, promoting precipitation of the organic crosslinker. These effects can be mitigated by neutralizing the fines fixing agents with an acid such as hydrochloric or acetic acid to a pH of 6 or lower.

Shale inhibiting additives for subterranean drilling and/or treatment fluids that include polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include: providing a treatment fluid including an aqueous base fluid and a shale inhibiting additive including polyvinyl alcohol; introducing the treatment fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation to contact at least a portion of the subterranean formation that comprises shale; and allowing the shale inhibiting additive to interact with the shale in the subterranean formation to at least partially inhibit the shale.

A method for manipulating hydraulic fracture geometry. In one embodiment, the method comprises injecting a fracturing fluid into a well to generate one or more hydraulic fractures in a subsurface rock formation and then substantially draining any fluids from the one or more hydraulic fractures. The method may further comprise injecting a hydrophilic polymer and one or more crosslinking agents into the well to subsequently form low-density hydrogels which may then screen out only each tip of the one or more hydraulic fractures. A working fluid may then be injected into the well to increase fracture width of the one or more hydraulic fractures without substantially increasing fracture length. In an alternative embodiment, the hydrophilic polymer may be fully crosslinked by the one or more crosslinking agents and injected as pre-formed particle gels (PPGs) which may also screen out only each tip of the one or more hydraulic fractures.

A well fracturing fluid is shown which includes an aqueous base fluid, a hydratable polymer, such as a guar gum, and a suitable crosslinking agent for crosslinking the hydratable polymer to form a polymer gel. The hydratable polymer has a higher molecular weight which is achieved by improvements in the processing of the guar split. The higher molecular weight polymer provides improved performance in well fracturing operations.

Compositions and methods for formulating a liquid gel concentrate package with all the additives for a well servicing fluid are provided. An embodiment of the present disclosure is a method comprising: providing a liquid gel concentrate package comprising: a liquid gel concentrate; and at least two active ingredients, wherein the active ingredients comprise constituents of a well servicing fluid; and allowing the liquid gel concentrate package to blend with an aqueous fluid to form a well servicing fluid; and introducing the well servicing fluid into a wellbore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation. Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a composition comprising a liquid gel concentrate; and at least two active ingredient, wherein the active ingredients comprise constituents of a well servicing fluid.

A fracturing fluid including a mixture of an aqueous terpolymer composition including a terpolymer, an additive, and crosslinker. The terpolymer includes 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide, and acrylic acid monomer units, or a salt thereof. The additive includes a sugar alcohol or a derivative thereof, and the crosslinker includes a metal. The weight ratio of the metal to the terpolymer is in a range of 0.01 to 0.16, and a concentration of the additive is in a range of 0.001 wt. % to 10 wt. % of the fracturing fluid. Treating a subterranean formation includes introducing the fracturing fluid into a subterranean formation, and crosslinking the fracturing fluid in the subterranean formation to yield a crosslinked fracturing fluid. The crosslinked fracturing fluid mitigates damage caused by substantial amounts of total dissolved solids or significant water hardness.

Fracturing fluid compositions including a base fluid including a high TDS produced and/or flow back water, brackish water, RO reject water, clear brine, and mixtures thereof with or without added fresh water and systems, and methods for making and using same, where the method includes: (a) adding a first buffer to adjust the pH of a base fluid to an acidic pH, (b) adding a hydratable polymer or polymer slurry to the base fluid to form a hydratable polymer fracturing fluid, (c) adding a cross-linking composition to the hydratable polymer fracturing fluid to form a pre-cross-linked fracturing fluid, and (d) if needed, adding a second buffer to the pre-cross-linked fracturing fluid to adjust the pH of the pre-cross-linked fracturing fluid to form a viscosified fracturing fluid having a crosslinked structure.

A viscosified aqueous solution, optionally for use in a subterranean wellbore, is made by reacting in aqueous solution (i) an initial polymer with either carboxylic acid or amino groups on its polymer chain, (ii) a second compound with an amino group or carboxylic acid group, and (iii) a coupling agent, so that molecules of the second compound join to the polymer chain through amide groups, thereby forming an aqueous solution of a modified polymer which, without separation from the aqueous solution, participates in cross-linking thereby enhancing viscosity of the solution. The second compound may include hydrophobic groups so that the modified polymer contains hydrophobic groups and is able to cross-link with itself or a viscoelastic surfactant through association of hydrophobic groups (without covalent bond formation) in aqueous solution. Such cross-links can reform after the fluid has been subjected to shear.

A method of fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well comprises: combining an aqueous carrier with a superabsorbent polymer and a borated galactomannan to form a hydraulic fracturing composition; and pumping the hydraulic fracturing composition into the well.