Proppant particulates are commonly used in hydraulic fracturing operations to maintain one or more fractures in an opened state following the release of hydraulic pressure. In complex fracture networks, it can be difficult to deposit proppant particulates fully within the fractures. In addition, low crush strengths may result in problematic fines formation. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons, commonly encountered in various refinery process streams, may serve as an advantageous precursor to proppant particulates. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons may undergo crosslinking under acid-catalyzed conditions in an aqueous solvent in the presence of a surfactant to form substantially spherical particulates that may serve as effective proppant particulates during fracturing operations. In situ formation of the proppant particulates may take place in some cases.

A mussel bionic gel composition includes: a mussel bionic copolymer and/or a mussel bionic compound, a cross-linking agent and water, wherein the mussel bionic copolymer includes a structural unit A from a vinyl monomer and a structural unit B from a vinyl-containing mussel bionic catechol group monomer; and the mussel bionic compound includes polyacrylamide and a mussel bionic catechol compound. The self-growth gel particle profile control and water plugging agent prepared from the composition is low in initial apparent viscosity, easy to inject and far in migration, has good shear repairing performance and is particularly applicable to a low-permeability fractured reservoir, thereby adjusting a micro-fracture network, improving a fracture channel and increasing waterflood efficiency and recovery efficiency.

Methods of fracturing a subterranean formation containing a hydrocarbon include introducing a first fracturing fluid that includes natural gas into the formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to create a complex fracture in the formation; introducing a second fracturing fluid into the formation, wherein the second fracturing fluid comprises water, a gelling agent, a foaming agent, natural gas, and proppant particulates; and allowing the second fracturing fluid to transport a portion of the proppant particulates into the complex fracture.

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.

The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for recovery of hydrocarbons from subterranean formations. The compositions may be dry blends of synthetic and naturally derived polymers. The blend compositions may also be produced as high activity solvent-based fluidized polymer suspensions. Either in dry or liquid forms, the blend compositions provide higher proppant carrying capacity in comparison to conventional solutions, as well as improved breakability and crosslinking capacity.

A self-suspending proppant that resists the adverse effects of calcium and other cations on swelling comprises a proppant substrate particle and a gelatinized neutral starch coating on the proppant substrate particle.

Methods of preparing a crosslinked hydraulic fracturing fluid include combining a hydraulic fracturing fluid comprising a polyacrylamide polymer with a plurality of coated proppants. The plurality of coated proppants include a proppant particle and a resin proppant coating on the proppant particle. The resin proppant coating includes resin and a zirconium oxide crosslinker. The resin includes at least one of phenol, furan, epoxy, urethane, phenol-formaldehyde, polyester, vinyl ester, and urea aldehyde. Methods further include allowing the zirconium oxide crosslinker within the resin proppant coating to crosslink the polyacrylamide polymer within the hydraulic fracturing fluid at a pH of at least 10, thereby forming the crosslinked hydraulic fracturing fluid.

The present application provides expandable chemical diverting agents, such as flexible polyurethanes and swellable hydrogels, or chemical precursors thereof. Methods of using these expandable diverting agents for treating a subterranean formation are also provided. An example of subterranean formation treatment process described in the present application is wellbore stimulation, such as hydraulic fracturing or matrix acid treatment.

Treatment fluid compositions that include a carrier fluid, a crosslinkable polymer, one or more degradable fibers grafted with a crosslinking moiety capable of crosslinking the crosslinkable polymer, and optionally a proppant or gravel. Methods and systems for treating a subterranean wellbore or formation using the grafted degradable fiber treatment fluids are further provided. The presently disclosed treatment fluids may be suitable for use as hydraulic fracturing treatment fluids, gravel packing treatment fluids, or fluid diversion treatment fluids.

A fracturing fluid may comprise an aqueous based fluid and halloysite nanotubes, wherein the halloysite nanotubes comprise a cargo.