Rheological and fracturing characteristics of a novel sulfonated hydroxypropyl guar gum

A series of sulfonated hydroxypropyl guar gum (SHG) samples with different degrees of substitution (DSs) were prepared, and the SHG solution and SHG fracturing fluid were prepared and analyzed. The SHG aqueous solutions with different DSs all exhibit shear thinning behavior, which is well correlated with the Ostwald-deWaele model. Owing to the electrostatic repulsion of SHG molecular chains, SHG solutions with a higher DS will exhibit weaker thixotropic performance and strong anti-salinity ability. In addition, the SHG fracturing fluids, which were formed by interactions between SHG and organic zirconium, exhibit good temperature- and shear-resistant properties, proppant suspension properties, and salt tolerance. Furthermore, SHG gel-breaking fluids show low interfacial and surface tensions, with low residue content and small core permeability damage. These results provide useful indicators for the applications of SHG in the oil field industry.