Analysis of the Effect of Barium Ions on the Rheology and Residue of Fracturing Fluids based on Formation Water

Hydraulic fracturing is frequently carried out in various parts of the world in the oil and gas industry to enhance production, addressing issues such as low permeability or formation damage around the wellbore. The design of fracturing fluids used in hydraulic fracturing operations predominantly consists of water. Using water as the primary base material in the formulation of fracturing fluids presents its own challenges, especially in fields far from clean water sources, making the use of distilled water expensive. Therefore, research has been developed to create fracturing fluids using formation water produced from the field, supplemented with some synthetic brine. The research methodology involves creating fracturing fluids with the following comparisons: distilled water, distilled water with 200 ppm barium ions, distilled water with 300 ppm barium ions, and formation water from the RTP field. The resulting fracturing fluid samples will be tested for viscosity, then heated until they break, and the amount of residue obtained will be measured. The analysis results of the research showed that fracturing fluid samples with higher barium ion content had lower viscosity, longer crown time, shorter break time, and higher residue. Therefore, this research indicates that barium ions can affect the properties of fracturing fluids.