Abstract
Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide natural polymer that is used heavily as a viscosifier in oil and gas industry especially with fracturing and gravel pack fluids. Numerous additives are required to control the properties of the fracturing and gravel pack fluids such as biocides, clay stabilizers, and some other additives to maintain the viscosity at high temperature during the fracturing operations. These additives have their limitations, and they will increase the cost of the operation. The objective of this research is to evaluate the chemical reaction of xanthan gum with different chelating agents [ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), glutamic acid diacetic acid (GLDA), and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)] at different conditions of pH, concentrations, temperature, and time to determine the optimum conditions for removing the polymer filter cake after fracturing and gravel pack operations . The results obtained showed that mixing chelating agents (DTPA, EDTA, and GLDA) with xanthan gum had a big effect of increasing the viscosity of the solution. DTPA and EDTA at different pH and shear rates over long time (36 h) did not break the XC-polymer solution at \(200~^{\circ }\hbox {F}\). GLDA (20 wt%, pH 12) increased the viscosity of the xanthan gum solution from 33 to 45 cP for 11 h at \(200~^{\circ }\hbox {F}\) and a shear rate of \(170.3\, \hbox {S}^{-1}\). Under the same conditions, GLDA worked as a breaker after 11 h as the apparent viscosity of the GLDA-XC solution was decreased from 45 cP to 11 and 3 cP after 24 and 36 h, respectively. The optimum concentration of GLDA was found to be 20 wt%, and the optimum pH was found to be 12.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Garcia-Ochoa, F.; Santos, V.E.; Casa, J.A.; Gomez, E.: Xanthan gum: production, recovery, and properties. Biotechnol. Adv. 18(7), 549–579 (2000)
Becker, A.; Katzan, F.; Puhler, A.; Ielpi, L.: Xanthan gum biosynthesis and application: a biochemical/genetic perspective. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 50(2), 145–152 (1998)
Rosalam, S.; England, R.: Review of Xanthan gum production from unmodified starches by Xanthomonas campestris sp. Enzym. Microbiol. Technol. 39(2), 207 (2006)
Jansson, P.E.; Kenne, L.; Lindberg, B.: Structure of extracellular polysaccharide from Xanthomonas campestris. Carbohydr. Res. 45(1), 275–282 (1975)
Kennedy, J.F.; Bradshaw, I.J.: Production properties and applications of xanthan. Prog. Ind. Microbiol. 19, 319–371 (1984)
Malik, V.S.; Sridhar, P.: Industrial Biotechnology. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi (1992)
Yanniotis, S.; Taoukis, P.; Stoforos N.; Karathanos, V.T.: Advances in Food Process Engineering Research and Applications. Food Engineering Series, pp. 277–279. Springer, New York (2013)
Whistler, R.L.; BeMiller, J.N.: Carbohydrate Chemistry for Food Scientists, pp. 117–128. Eagan Press, St. Paul, Minnesota (1997)
Higiro, J.; Herald, T.J.; Alavi, S.; Bean, S.: Rheological study of Xanthan and Locust bean gum interaction in dilute solution: effect of salt. Food Res. Int. 40(4), 435–447 (2007)
Carrington, S.; Odell, J.; Fisher, L.; Mitchell, J.; Hartley, L.: Polyelectrolyte behaviour of dilute Xanthan solutions: salt effects on extensional rheology. Polymer 37(13), 2871–2875 (1996)
Moorhouse, R.; Walkinshaw, M.D.; Arnott, S.: Xanthan gum molecular conformation and interactions. Extracellular microbial polysaccharides. ACS 45(7), 90–102 (1977)
Whitcomb, P.J.; Ek, B.J.; Macosko, C.W.: Rheology of Xanthan gum solutions. Extracellular microbial polysaccharides. ACS 45(12), 160–173 (1977)
Zhang, L.M.; Tan, Y.B.; Li, Z.M.: New water-soluble ampholytic polysaccharides for oilfield drilling treatment: a preliminary study. Carbohydr. Polym. 44(3), 255–260 (2001)
Lucas, E.F.; Mansur, C.R.; Spinelli, L.; Queiros, Y.G.: Polymer science applied to petroleum production. Pure Appl. Chem. 81(3), 473–494 (2009)
Darley, H.C.H.; Gray, G.R.: Composition and Properties of Drilling and Completion Fluids, 5th ed, pp. 66–67, 561–562. Gulf Professional Publishing, Houston (1988)
Kok, M.V.; Alikaya, T.: Effect of polymers on the rheological properties of KCl/polymer type drilling fluid. Energy Sources 27(5), 405–415 (2005)
Nwosu, O.U.; Ewulonu, C.M.: Rheological behaviour of eco-friendly drilling fluids from biopolymers. J. Polym. Biopolym. Phys. Chem. 2(3), 50–54 (2014)
Blkoor, S.O.; Fattah, K.A.: The influence of XC-polymer on drilling fluid filter cake properties and formation damage. J Pet Environ Biotechnol. 4(5), 157 (2013)
Cardoso, J.J.; Spinelli, L.S.; Monteiro, V.; Lomba, R.; Lucas, E.F.: Influence of polymer and surfactant on the aphrons characteristics: evaluation of fluid invasion controlling. eXPRESS. Polym. Lett. 4(8), 474–479 (2010)
Hembling, D.; Chan, A.; Garner, J.; Beall, B.: Using enzymatic breakers in horizontal wells to enhance wellbore clean-up. Paper SPE 58732 Presented at the International Symposium on Formation Damage Control, Lafayette, Louisiana, 23-2-4 February (2000)
Price-Smith, C.; Bennett, C.; Ali, S.A.; Hodge, R.M.; Burton, R.C.; Parlar, M.: Open Hole horizontal well cleanup in sand control completions: state of the art in field practice and laboratory development. Paper SPE 50673 Presented at the European Petroleum Conference, The Hague, The Netherlands, 20–22 October (1998)
Parlar, M.; Tibbles, R.J.; Chang, F.F.; Fu, D.; Morris, L.; Davison, M.; Vinod, P.S.; Wierenga, A.: Laboratory development of a novel, simultaneous cake-cleanup and gravel-packing system for long, highly-deviated or horizontal open-hole completions. Paper SPE 50651 Presented at the European Petroleum Conference, The Hague, The Netherlands, 20–22 October (1998)
Mahmoud, M.A.; Nasr-El-Din, H.A.; De Wolf, C.; LePage, J.; Bemelaar, J.: Evaluation of a new environmentally friendly chelating agent for high-temperature applications. SPEJ 16(3), 559–574 (2011)
Mahmoud, M.A.: Evaluating the damage due to calcium sulfate scale precipitation during low and high salinity water injection. J. Can. Pet. Technol. 53(3), 141–150 (2014)
Mahmoud, M.A.; Nasr El-Din, H.A.: Modeling flow of chelating agents during stimulation of carbonate reservoirs. Arabian J. Sci. Eng. 39(12), 9239–9248 (2014)
Mahmoud, M.A.; Nasr-El-Din, H.A.; DeWolf, C.A.: Novel environmentally friendly fluids to remove carbonate minerals from deep sandstone formations. Pare SPE 143301 Presented at the SPE European Formation Damage Conference, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 7–10 June (2011)
Braun, W.; De Wolf, C.; Nasr-El-Din, H.A.: Improved health, safety and environmental profile of a new field proven stimulation fluid. Paper SPE 157467-MS Presented at the SPE Russian Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Technical Conference and Exhibition, 16–18 October, Moscow, Russia (2012)
Frenier, W.; Brady, M.; Al-Harthy, S.; Arangath, R.; Chan, K.S.; Flamant, N.; Samuel, M.: Hot oil and gas wells can be stimulated without acids. SPE Prod. Facil. J. 19(4), 189–199 (2004)
LePage, J.; De Wolf, C.; Bemelaar, J.; Nasr-El-Din, H.A.: An environmentally friendly stimulation fluid for high-temperature applications. SPE J. 16(1), 104–110 (2011)
De Wolf, C.; Nasr-El-Din, H.A.; Bouwman, A.; Bang, E.; Naylor, E.: A new, low corrosive fluid to stimulate deep wells completed with Cr-based alloys. Paper SPE 152716 Presented at the SPE International Conference and Workshop on Oilfield Corrosion, 28–29 May, Aberdeen, UK (2012)
Elkatatny, S.M.; Mahmoud, M.A.; Nasr-El-Din, H.A.: Characterization of filter cake generated by water-based drilling fluids using Ct scan. SPE Drill. Complet. 27(2), 282–293 (2012)
Elkatatny, S.M.; Mahmoud, M.; Nasr-El-Din, H.: Filter cake properties of water-based drilling fluids under static and dynamic conditions using CT scan. J. Energy Resour. Technol. 135(4) (2013). doi:10.1115/1.4023483
Elkatatny, S.M.; Nasr-El-Din, H.A.: Removal of water-based filter cake and stimulation of the formation in one-step using an environmentally friendly chelating agent. Int. J. Oil Gas Coal Technol. 7(2), 169–188 (2014)
Sutherland, I.W.: Microbial exopolysaccharide synthesis. Extracellular microbial polysaccharides. Chapter 4, 40–57 (1977). doi:10.1021/bk-1977-0045.ch004
Acknowledgments
“The author would like to acknowledge the support provided by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) for funding this work through project No. JF141011.”
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Elkatatny, S. Evaluating the Chemical Reaction of Chelating Agents with Xanthan Gum. Arab J Sci Eng 42, 1427–1434 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-016-2299-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-016-2299-8