The increasing energy demand has prompted engineers to explore deeper wells where rich oil and gas reserves exist. However, the high-temperature and high-salt conditions have impeded the further application of traditional water-based fracturing fluids in such reservoirs. Therefore, it is urgent to develop fracturing fluids that are suitable for such geographic characteristics. In this study, for the first time, a novel synthetic polymer, poly-(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid-co-2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) (P3A), was investigated as a rheological modifier for water-based fracturing fluids in high-temperature and high-salt conditions and compared with a guar gum system. Results showed that the apparent viscosity increased with increasing P3A and guar gum concentrations, and the thickening ability of P3A was much better than that of guar gum. Despite the better shear and temperature resistance and proppant suspension ability of guar gum fluids in high-temperature and saturated salt conditions, plentiful solid residues after gel-breaking have prevented their progress in the petroleum industry. P3A fluids have no residues, but the unsatisfying proppant suspension capability and high dosage encourage us to promote their rheological performance via interaction with an organic zirconium crosslinker. Infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were applied to guarantee the successful reaction of P3A with the crosslinker. The subsequent investigation indicated that the transformed fracturing fluid exhibited remarkably improved thickening capability and satisfying rheological performance in terms of temperature and shear resistance and proppant-carrying ability as well as gel-breaking results in a high-temperature and saturated salt environment. All of the above results suggest the potential application of crosslinked P3A in hydraulic fracturing for the reservoirs with hostile conditions, and this article also provides a new orientation for synthetic polymers utilized in the oil and gas industry.

中文翻译：

---

高温高盐油藏水力压裂液对比研究：合成聚合物与瓜尔胶

不断增长的能源需求促使工程师探索存在丰富石油和天然气储量的更深井。但高温高盐条件阻碍了传统水基压裂液在此类油藏的进一步应用。因此，开发适合此类地理特征的压裂液迫在眉睫。在这项研究中，第一次，一种新型的合成聚合物，聚（丙烯酰胺-共聚-丙烯酸-共聚）-2-丙烯酰胺基-2-甲基-1-丙磺酸）（P3A）作为高温高盐条件下水基压裂液的流变改性剂进行了研究，并与瓜尔胶体系进行了比较。结果表明，表观粘度随P3A和瓜尔胶浓度的增加而增加，且P3A的增稠能力明显优于瓜尔胶。尽管瓜尔胶流体在高温和饱和盐条件下具有更好的抗剪切和耐温性以及支撑剂悬浮能力，但破胶后的大量固体残留物阻碍了其在石油工业中的发展。P3A 流体没有残留物，但令人不满意的支撑剂悬浮能力和高剂量促使我们通过与有机锆交联剂的相互作用来提高其流变性能。应用红外光谱和扫描电子显微镜来保证 P3A 与交联剂的成功反应。后续研究表明，转化后的压裂液在高温饱和盐环境下，稠化能力显着提高，在温度和抗剪流变性能、承载支撑剂能力和破胶效果方面均令人满意。上述所有结果表明，交联 P3A 在恶劣条件下的油藏水力压裂中具有潜在的应用价值，本文也为石油和天然气工业中使用的合成聚合物提供了新的方向。后续研究表明，转化后的压裂液在高温饱和盐环境下，稠化能力显着提高，在温度和抗剪流变性能、承载支撑剂能力和破胶效果方面均令人满意。上述所有结果表明，交联 P3A 在恶劣条件下的油藏水力压裂中具有潜在的应用价值，本文也为石油和天然气工业中使用的合成聚合物提供了新的方向。后续研究表明，转化后的压裂液在高温饱和盐环境下，稠化能力显着提高，在温度和抗剪流变性能、承载支撑剂能力和破胶效果方面均令人满意。上述所有结果表明，交联 P3A 在恶劣条件储层的水力压裂中具有潜在的应用价值，本文也为石油和天然气工业中使用的合成聚合物提供了新的方向。