Bio-Diesel Preparation and Application in Linear Gel Through Efficient Hydrofracturing

Abstract Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oil or animal fats. It is produced from triglyceride (oil) in the presence of methanol with a catalyst through a trans-esterification reaction, glycerol and methyl ester (Biodiesel) are obtained. This study describes the lab test methodology adopted to develop new hydrofracturing fluids, which is a bio-diesel linear gel, and will evaluate its performance efficiency in comparison with the conventional fossil diesel linear gel. The lab test was conducted in accordance with API standards. Hydrofracturing Linear gel is prepared by treating Biodiesel with various water samples collected from different water bodies. The findings that were presented suggest that Biodiesel, an alternative eco-friendly fuel synthesized from "Jatropha seed". This research work explored to development of alternate methods for hydrofracturing processes, which are feasible and eco-friendly. The reaction mechanism of one molecule of ammonium persulfate yields two free radicals per reaction. The free radicals are released by the persulphate reaction upon susceptible and oxidizable bonds. We developed an efficient alternative method for the hydrofracturing process by using novel linear gels, prepared with biodiesel and water samples from different sources. Based on the improved results obtained in the pilot tests, several fluid systems were successfully implemented in various oil field operations. The study showed that using seawater with a gel made with biodiesel for hydrofracturing jobs is 80% more efficient and economical, as the gel needed no additional breakers. This method is novel, eco-friendly, sustainable, and advantageous as it saves freshwater usage. The gel viscosity was measured at various bottom hole-circulating temperatures in the range of100°F to 150°F. The breaker test was conducted at 113°F and 140°F in 120 min for the application of gel. Out of all the water samples, the sample collected from the produced water source was found to be more economical. It is feasible to reuse that water, which could help to minimize water usage. This approach is also environmentally friendly as it reduces produced water spills and contamination. The seawater-formulated fluids were found to be effective at different downhole temperatures and are compatible with a large variation of fracturing fluids and additives. Ultimately, the use of seawater lowered the operation cost by 30% to 40% of the overall operational cost. This paper introduces to the industry a newly developed advanced Biodiesel gel that significantly enhances the oilwell recovery treatment efficiency, and it is a Novel, eco-friendly biodiesel linear gel. It also provides an explanation of the performed lab testing and the methodology of linear gel preparation.