A process is provided for producing a biomass-derived rheology modifier, comprising: providing a pretreated feedstock comprising cellulose-rich solids; refining the cellulose-rich solids in a first high-intensity refining unit, generating refined cellulose solids; gelling the refined cellulose solids in a second high-intensity refining unit, thereby generating gelled cellulose solids; and homogenizing the gelled cellulose solids in a high-shear homogenizer, thereby generating a biomass-derived rheology modifier. The pretreated feedstock may include kraft pulp, sulfite pulp, AVAP® pulp, soda pulp, mechanical pulp, thermomechanical pulp, and/or chemimechanical pulp, derived from wood or lignocellulosic biomass. The pretreated feedstock may be GP3+® pulp, obtained from steam or hot-water extraction of lignocellulosic biomass. These rheology modifiers may be utilized in a wide variety of applications, including water-based or oil-based hydraulic fracturing fluid formulations, as gelling agents. These rheology modifiers are biodegradable, and their production does not directly involve chemicals other than biomass and water.

A process is provided for producing a biomass-derived rheology modifier, comprising: providing a pretreated feedstock comprising cellulose-rich solids; refining the cellulose-rich solids in a first high-intensity refining unit, generating refined cellulose solids; gelling the refined cellulose solids in a second high-intensity refining unit, thereby generating gelled cellulose solids; and homogenizing the gelled cellulose solids in a high-shear homogenizer, thereby generating a biomass-derived rheology modifier. The pretreated feedstock may include kraft pulp, sulfite pulp, AVAP® pulp, soda pulp, mechanical pulp, thermomechanical pulp, and/or chemimechanical pulp, derived from wood or lignocellulosic biomass. The pretreated feedstock may be GP3+® pulp, obtained from steam or hot-water extraction of lignocellulosic biomass. These rheology modifiers may be utilized in a wide variety of applications, including water-based or oil-based hydraulic fracturing fluid formulations, as gelling agents. These rheology modifiers are biodegradable, and their production does not directly involve chemicals other than biomass and water.

Proppant particulates like sand are commonly used in hydraulic fracturing operations to maintain one or more fractures in an opened state following the release of hydraulic pressure. Fracturing fluids and methods of hydraulic fracturing may also use proppant particulates composed of fluid coke material (also referred to as fluid coke proppant particulates). In some instances, the fluid coke proppant particulates are characterized by a bulk density of less than about 0.9 grams per cubic centimeter.

A composition includes a functionalized fluorescent dye. The functionalized fluorescent dye includes an isothiocyanate-containing dye that is functionalized with a functional group. The functional group includes a primary amine. The functionalized fluorescent dye can be mixed with a fluid to form a tracer fluid for tracing fluid flow in a subterranean formation.

A composition includes a functionalized fluorescent dye. The functionalized fluorescent dye includes an isothiocyanate-containing dye that is functionalized with a functional group. The functional group includes a primary amine. The functionalized fluorescent dye can be mixed with a fluid to form a tracer fluid for tracing fluid flow in a subterranean formation.

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 method of stimulating petroleum production includes introducing a fracturing fluid into a petroleum bearing carbonate formation, thereby creating at least one fracture to stimulate the petroleum production. The fracturing fluid is introduced into the petroleum bearing carbonate formation at a pressure above the breakdown pressure of the formation. The fracturing fluid includes a plurality of proppants where from 1 to 50 wt. % of the plurality of proppants includes micro proppants having a particle size ranging from 0.5 to 150 μm, and from 50 to 99 wt. % of the plurality of proppants includes macro proppants having a particle size greater than 100 mesh.

A method of stimulating petroleum production includes introducing a fracturing fluid into a petroleum bearing carbonate formation, thereby creating at least one fracture to stimulate the petroleum production. The fracturing fluid is introduced into the petroleum bearing carbonate formation at a pressure above the breakdown pressure of the formation. The fracturing fluid includes a plurality of proppants where from 1 to 50 wt. % of the plurality of proppants includes micro proppants having a particle size ranging from 0.5 to 150 μm, and from 50 to 99 wt. % of the plurality of proppants includes macro proppants having a particle size greater than 100 mesh.

Methods and systems for performing injection treatments in subterranean formations stimulated by the ignition of propellants are provided. In some embodiments, the methods comprise: igniting a propellant in one or more secondary boreholes in a subterranean formation to at least partially rupture at least a region of the subterranean formation near the secondary boreholes; introducing a fracturing fluid into a first production well bore in the subterranean formation in or near the ruptured region of the subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least a primary fracture in the subterranean formation that extends into at least a portion of the ruptured region of the subterranean formation; and introducing a displacement fluid into one or more of the secondary boreholes or an injection well bore in the subterranean formation that comprises one or more fractures penetrating the ruptured region of the subterranean formation.

The present invention discloses an optimized design method for a temporary blocking agent to promote uniform expansion of fractures produced by fracturing in horizontal wells, which comprises the following steps: calculating a particle size and a volume range of a candidate temporary blocking agent in an applicable target area; establishing a hydraulic fracture expansion calculation model with complete fluid-solid coupling; calculating an optimal average particle size required for effective temporary blocking; determining the particle size distribution of the temporarily blocked particles according to the optimal average particle size; calculating the particle volume of the temporary blocking agent required for effective temporary blocking; and predicting and evaluating a fracturing effect after the preferred temporary blocking design is adopted in the target area. The optimized design method for the temporary blocking agent to promote uniform expansion of fractures produced by fracturing in horizontal wells is used for improving the uniformity of fracture development of staged multi-cluster fracturing in horizontal wells, and has practicability and accuracy.