Research progress in gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids

Fracturing technology is very important for improving the production capacity of the low permeability reservoir, and the recovery of oil and gas wells. The fracturing fluids are the key factors to affect the fracturing effect. Gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids have become the key items in the development of new generation clean fracturing fluids, for its excellent utilization property compared with the water base plant fracturing fluid and traditional clean fracturing fluids with single-tailed surfactant as viscosifier. The recent advances in the preparation, performance and application of gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids were reviewed in this paper. Different gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids, including cationic gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids, anionic gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids, zwitterionic gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids are compared, and the applications of gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids in oilfield are also discussed. Cationic gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids could be applied in medium-high temperature oilfields with the advantage of mature preparation methods and good anti-temperature property, the disadvantage of cationic gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids is high cost. Anionic gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids has the advantage of lower damage to reservoir permeability and stratum adsorption amount of surfactant, the disadvantage of anionic gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids is harsh reaction conditions and medium anti-temperature property, so it could be applied in medium-low temperature oilfields. The zwitterionic gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids has high anti-temperature property, but it is difficult to apply because of the complex preparation process and high cost. From the view of preparation, performance and practical applications, the research perspective of gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids was outlined in the end of this paper, which are the development of low-cost methods and the preparation and application of gemini surfactant clean fracturing fluids with high anti-temperature. © 2018, Chemical Industry Press. All right reserved.