Patent ID: 9688904
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: C09K

Claim:
1. A method for treating a hydrocarbon-bearing formation comprising: blending a carrier fluid with a synthetic polymer and an oxidizing agent to form a fracturing fluid, the synthetic polymer being a polyacrylamide further comprising a labile group or a polyacrylate further comprising a labile group, the labile group comprising ester groups, carbonate groups, azo groups, disulfide groups, orthoester groups, acetal groups, etherester groups, ether groups, silyl groups, phosphazine groups, urethane groups, etheramide groups, anhydride groups, or a combination thereof; the oxidizing agent and the labile group being selected such that the oxidizing agent is effective to activate the labile group and the activated labile group facilitates the decomposition of the synthetic polymer; injecting the fracturing fluid into the hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the fracturing fluid having a viscosity of about 5 to about 50 centipoise during injection; discharging the fracturing fluid into a downhole fracture in the hydrocarbon-bearing formation, wherein the fracturing fluid is operative to reduce friction during a hydrocarbon-bearing treatment operation; activating the labile group on the synthetic polymer with the oxidizing agent; decomposing the synthetic polymer upon activation of the labile group to provide a decomposed polymer; and removing the decomposed polymer from the hydrocarbon-bearing formation, wherein the synthetic polymer is devoid of guar.