Fracturing Fluid

PAM for Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid

Hydraulic fracturing fluids require high-viscosity polymers to suspend proppant and maintain fracture conductivity. We supply fracturing-grade PAM to operators in shale plays across North America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. A typical Marcellus well uses 5,000 barrels of fracturing fluid at 30 ppm PAM — that is 150 kg of our polymer per well.

The challenge: PAM must maintain viscosity under extreme shear (pump pressure), high temperature (bottomhole), and chemical attack (breakers). We produce fracturing grades that hold viscosity through all three stresses.

PAM in Fracturing Fluid

Viscosity Builder

At 20-50 ppm, PAM increases fracturing fluid viscosity 10-50x. This allows ceramic or sand proppant to suspend without settling during pumping and placement. High MW PAM (15-25M) is essential — lower MW cannot achieve the viscosity needed.

• Molecular weight: 15-25M Da
• Hydrolysis degree: 25-30%
• Dosage: 20-50 ppm
• Viscosity at 100 s⁻¹: 50-200 cP

Proppant Suspension

Proppant (ceramic or sand) must stay suspended throughout pumping and placement. Without PAM, proppant settles in the wellbore — creating bridges and screen-outs. With PAM, proppant remains suspended until the fracture closes and settles into place.

Breaker Compatibility

After fracture closure, PAM must break down (enzymatic or oxidative breaker) to reduce residual viscosity. Residual viscosity >10 cP damages production. We formulate PAM that breaks cleanly to <5 cP within 24-48 hours.

Fracturing Grades by Formation

Case Study: Marcellus Shale Well

Fracturing-Grade Specifications

Fracturing fluids demand extreme consistency. Every batch must perform identically:

• MW: ±0.5M tolerance (±0.3M for fracturing)
• Viscosity at 100 s⁻¹: ±10% batch-to-batch
• Shear stability: <10% viscosity loss after 10 passes through pump
• Thermal stability: <15% viscosity loss at 100°C for 16 hours
• Breaker compatibility: residual viscosity <5 cP after 24-hour break

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between fracturing PAM and EOR PAM?

Fracturing PAM needs high viscosity at low concentration (20-50 ppm) and must break cleanly. EOR PAM needs to maintain viscosity in the reservoir (500-2000 ppm) and must not break. They are fundamentally different products — do not mix them up.

Can I use the same PAM for all shale plays?

Not optimal. Marcellus (60-80°C) can use lower MW than Eagle Ford (80-100°C). Temperature affects PAM thermal stability. We recommend 18M for cool formations, 20M for hot formations. A 20°C difference in bottomhole temperature can shift optimal MW by 2-3M.

How do I know if my PAM is breaking properly?

Measure viscosity at 100 s⁻¹ before and after breaker addition. Viscosity should drop from 50-200 cP to <5 cP within 24-48 hours. If residual viscosity is >10 cP, the breaker is not working — either the breaker is bad or the PAM is not compatible with it. We test breaker compatibility on every batch.