Gelling agents

Gelling agents are substances that form gels under certain conditions. Polymer gelling agents are used to ensure proper proppant placement during hydraulic fracturing operations. They provide increased viscosity of the fracturing fluid so that the proppant is efficiently transported into the fracture rather than dropping out elsewhere in the well.

These polymers are dry powders that hydrate when mixed with water to form viscous linear gels to carry the proppant downhole. The use of chemically modified guar gums such as HPG and CMPHG improves the temperature stability of the gel and also reduces the level of insoluble residue, reducing the risk of formation damage after the fracturing operation is completed.