HALLIBURTON has turned to materials sourced from the food industry to create a “first-of-its-kind” fracturing (fraccing) fluid system for use in “unconventional” hydrocarbons extraction, which basically means shale gas.
It says that the new formulation relies on some of the same acids and enzymes present in foods to create what Halliburton claims is “one of the most innovative and environmentally safe fracture solutions ever conceived”.
Given the mounting concern over the impacts of fraccing fluids on the water table in areas where shale gas extraction has become popular, the Halliburton brew may be timely.
When diluted and used as directed, the company says the new fluid reduces chemical exposure risk at and below the wellsite to provide an extra margin of safety to people, animals, and the environment “in the unlikely occurrence of a well-site incident”.
CleanStim fluid system components include a gelling agent, crosslinker/buffer, breakers, and a surfactant. The formulation is mixed at the job site with water provided by the operator prior to application.
Halliburton claims the system provides excellent performance in terms of pumpability, proppant transport, and retained conductivity – with laboratory tests showing over 90% retained conductivity after 24 hours of flow.
The system is applicable over a broad temperature range providing up to 30 minutes pumping time at 107 degrees celsius (225 fahrenheit).
It can be “cross-linked” and used for conventional gelled fracturing treatments and the components can be used to provide friction reduction for water frac treatments commonly used in shale reservoirs.
Halliburton pioneered fracturing technology more than 60 years ago, but the safe and efficient use of this technology has never been more important or in greater demand, according to David Adams, VP of Halliburton’s production enhancement product service line.
However, introduction of ClearStim coincided with a decision by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to subpoena Halliburton after it refused to provide information for an inquiry into the process of fraccing as mandated by the US Congress.
The study is designed to determine the impact of fraccing on water quality, which has emerged as a major concern, particularly in the shale gas context.
The EPA said that it sent requests for information to nine companies that provide fraccing services in the US, namely BJ Services, Complete Production Services, Halliburton, Key Energy Services, Patterson-UTI, RPC, Schlumberger, Superior Well Services, and Weatherford.
All except Halliburton voluntarily complied with the request.
The requested information included the chemical composition of fluids used in the fraccing process, the impact of the chemicals on human health and the environment, and the location of sites where fraccing has been done.
Reacting to news of the subpoena, Halliburton spokesperson Teresa Wong said in a statement: “We are disappointed by the EPA’s decision; Halliburton has been working in good faith in an effort to respond to EPA’s September 2010 request for information on our hydraulic fracturing operations over a five-year period.”
Wong said the EPA request would have potentially required Halliburton to prepare approximately 50,000 spreadsheets, and that Halliburton representatives have met with EPA personnel to help try to narrow the focus of their “unreasonable demands”.