Impact of TDS on Friction Reducers for the Reuse of FLowback in Hydraulic Fracturing

The objective of this study is to look at the impact of total dissolved solids (TDS) on friction reducers (FR) for the reuse of flowback assisting in sustaining an industry where water is limited. Hydraulic tests were performed on three commercial FRs: anionic FR-A, anionic FR-B, and cationic FR-C to observe their performance. NaCl and CaCl₂ were added to simulate TDS found in flowback. Hydraulic tests show after TDS were added to FR-A and FR-C solutions, an increase in friction reduction by 20% at 300,000 Reynolds number when compared to fresh water hydrated solutions at the same Reynolds number. This is because the fluids containing TDS have less apparent viscosity due to the salt thinning the solution, allowing the turbulent drag reduction component to have an increased effect on %friction reduction and the viscosity to have less of effect. We recommend to mix flowback into fracturing fluids for improving the performance of some FRs and thus reducing the cost on well stimulation and disposal of flowback not only to operators but to the whole community. The added understanding of the mechanism driving friction reduction with salt helps educate physically and chemically the performance of friction reducers, leading to further research.