Session A4
Paper 6144
Disclaimer — This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University
of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is based on
publicly available information and may not be provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for any
purpose other than these authors’ partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at
the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk.
HYDROCARBON GEL TECHNOLOGY FOR SUSTAINABLE
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
Benjamin Grunauer, bjg68@pitt.edu, Lora 6:00, Josh Gill, jjg94@pitt.edu, Vidic 2:00
Revised Proposal — Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”, is a
natural gas extraction process that requires pumping fluid into
naturally forming underground gas. The gases are contained
in shale rock clusters, and the pumped fluid blasts apart the
rock at high pressures to make the gas accessible. The fluid is
pumped back out of the well with the gas, ready to be
transported to a refinery. According to the Texas Tribune,
“typical fracking fluids consist of sand, various chemicals, and
millions of gallons of water” [1]. After extraction, all of this
unusable and undrinkable water has to be disposed of.
Recycling the water is expensive and disposing of it is costly,
dangerous, and a waste of a precious resource. Nonetheless,
there is an upcoming innovation that will replace and improve
upon the traditional fluid.
This new fluid, called hydrocarbon gel, is shifting the
hydraulic fracturing industry in a more ecological and
economic direction. A hydrocarbon is an organic chemical
compound containing the elements hydrogen and carbon.
Hydrocarbon molecules’ structure involve a carbon backbone
with hydrogen atom(s) attached to each carbon atom.
Hydrocarbon gels are currently being researched and
implemented into hydraulic fracturing well sites. Presently, the
most widely used hydrocarbon gel is propane gel [2].
Hydrocarbon gels, including propane gel, prove to be more
efficient, increasingly economical, and less hazardous
compared to using water. Hydrocarbon gels have a similar
viscosity and adhesive properties as water, which allows them
to compete with water in the gas extraction process. The gas
extraction process is the same as if using water. The gel
chemical mixture is pumped below the ground to break apart
the shale rock and release the useable gas. However, when the
gas is extracted only the unsafe chemicals are left behind in
the ground. As well as leaving the hazardous chemicals
behind, the hydrocarbons in the gel react and attach to the gas
molecules allowing for an easier extraction process.
Hydrocarbon gels can also handle larger amounts of gas,
compared to water. When the hydrocarbon gel and gas
surface, the gel can be reused or sold. The recyclability of
hydrocarbon gels give it a long-term economic advantage over
water which is only initially cheaper. Water is cheaper upfront
than hydrocarbon gel, but the gel can be resold and reused,
which gives it a fiscal edge over water [3].
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering 1
01/29/16
Considering the information above, hydraulic fracturing is
moving towards a direction in which it will become safer and
cheaper with the use of hydrocarbon gels. Improving fracking
in any way is a boon to the economy, allowing gas prices to be
cheaper. Along with the economic advantages, hydrocarbon
gels are considerably more eco-friendly than water based
extraction fluids. Fracking is surrounded by environmental
controversy in Pennsylvania, so hydrocarbon gels are another
step forward in the right direction. This paper will preview the
technical “ins and outs” of hydrocarbon gels along with its
inherent benefits.
REFERENCES
[1] K. Galbraith. (2013, March 27). “Waterless Fracking
Makes Headway in Texas, Slowly.” Texas Tribune. (online
article).
https://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/2013/03/27/waterlessfracking-makes-headway-in-texas-slowly/.
[2] S. Milmo. (2011, November 15). “Fracking with Propane
Gel.” Royal Society of Chemistry. (online article).
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2011/November/15
111102.asp.
[3] B. Westenhouse. (July 2012). “A New Way to Fracture Oil
and
Gas
Wells.”
Oilprice.
(online
article).
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/A-New-Way-ToFracture-Oil-and-Gas-Wells.html.
[4] A. Potter. (2013). “An Ethical Approach to Hydraulic
Fracturing.” University of West Florida: Department of
Electrical and Computer Engineering. (electronic paper).
[5] K. Smith. (1996, November 5). “Hydrocarbon Gels Useful
in Formation Fracturing.” U.S. Patent Documents. (Patent).
[6] R. Tiner. (1975, June 10). “Methods and Compositions for
Fracturing Well Formations.” United States Patents. (Patent).
[7] D. LeBlanc. (July 2011). “Propane-based Fracturing
Improves Well Performance in Canadian Tight Reservoirs”.
World
Oil.
(online
article).
http://www.gasfrac.com/assets/files/World%20Oil%20Article
.pdf
[8] S.Churchill. (2011). Society of Petroleum Engineers.
(online
article).
Benjamin Grunauer
Josh Gill
[5] K. Smith (1996, November 5). “Hydrocarbon Gels Useful
in Formation Fracturing.” U.S. Patent Documents. (Patent).
This patent connects the applications of hydrocarbon gels
and hydraulic fracturing. It spans the results of fracking with
different hydrocarbons gels in technical details. Along with the
raw data, different gel fracking strategies are structured out in
this patent. The patent is useful, because it allows us to get into
specific details of the gels’ chemical makeup and ways they
are used.
https://www.onepetro.org/download/conference-paper/SPE144071-MS?id=conference-paper%2FSPE-144071-MS.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] K. Galbraith. (2013, March 27). “Waterless Fracking
Makes Headway in Texas, Slowly.” Texas Tribune. (online
article).
https://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/2013/03/27/waterlessfracking-makes-headway-in-texas-slowly/.
Canadian company GasFrac is one of few companies that
use alternative liquids instead of the millions of gallons of
water for fracking. GasFrac uses propane geland butane, which
completely replaces water in the fracking process. It is
currently a rare technology but researchers believe it to be a
“viable” technology for the future. This source and the
information pertaining to it will allow us to show examples
from this company’s usage and case study.
[6] R. Tiner (1975, June 10). “Methods and Compositions for
Fracturing Well Formations.” United States Patents. (Patent).
This patent outlines different approaches and
configurations for fracturing well formations. In these
hydraulic fracturing methods, hydrocarbon gels play a huge
role in the chemical extraction of oil in well bores. This is one
of the earliest (chronologically) documents containing
information on fracking with hydrocarbons. Since this
document is quite old, it will give us information pertaining to
the commencement and development of hydrocarbon gels.
[2] S. Milmo. (2011, November 15). “Fracking with Propane
Gel.” Royal Society of Chemistry. (online article).
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2011/November/15
111102.asp.
Propane-based liquefied petroleum gas is being used as a
substitute for water in fracking. The gel fractures the shale rock
and release the gas without the use of the 8 million gallons of
water used on the average well. It is safer (it keeps harmful
chemicals down in the shale away from drinking water and the
environment) and more efficient than water. This source is
useful as a brief overview of our topic in the abstract.
[7] D. LeBlanc. (July 2011). “Propane-based Fracturing
Improves Well Performance in Canadian Tight Reservoirs”.
World
Oil.
(online
article).
http://www.gasfrac.com/assets/files/World%20Oil%20Article
.pdf
This article overviews several fracking reservoirs in
Canada that have used hydrocarbon gels. The overviews
contain tangible data in mediums such as graphs and math
equations. The information is recent and backed up my three
petroleum engineers with twenty plus years of experience. The
engineers also presented the data in a way that was not
drowned in technical jargon and allowed us to extract
information without the statistics being hindered. The
mathematical data is the evidence for us to back up our claims
about hydrocarbon gels.
[3] B. Westenhouse. (July 2012). “A New Way to Fracture Oil
and
Gas
Wells.”
Oilprice.
(online
article).
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/A-New-Way-ToFracture-Oil-and-Gas-Wells.html.
Propane based fracking gels are made of a naturally
occurring hydrocarbon that doesn’t damage the shale’s rock
formation. They provide more effective fracture lengths
because of low surface tension, low viscosity, low density, and
solubility. These longer fracture lengths enable higher initial
production, and the shale produces for much longer. This
source introduces us to the beneficial properties of
hydrocarbon gels.
[8] S.Churchill. (2011). Society of Petroleum Engineers.
(online
article).
https://www.onepetro.org/download/conference-paper/SPE144071-MS?id=conference-paper%2FSPE-144071-MS.
This article is a research report on an experiment conducted
by the Society of Petroleum Engineers. The research compared
numerous qualities of fracking fluids, including propane gel.
The research concluded that out of all of the fluids, the propane
gel was the closest to the desired qualities. The report also has
explanations and experimental data to back up their
conclusion. This research helps us, because it will allow us to
show the type of research being done and how it proves our
point that hydrocarbon gel is the best fracking fluid (as of right
now).
[4] A. Potter (2013). “An Ethical Approach to Hydraulic
Fracturing.” University of West Florida: Department of
Electrical and Computer Engineering. (electronic paper).
Hydraulic fracturing is currently a major ethical dilemma.
There are trillions of liters of untapped gas that can be accessed
just from the Marcellus and Utica Shales in the northeastern
portion of the United States. However, this could lead to major
environmental contamination that could affect water, wildlife
and habitats. Currently there is no clear solution, but this article
will help us elaborate on the “big picture” that is fracking.
2