Patent ID: 8196659

Claim:
A method for reducing fines migration in a subterranean formation comprising: introducing into the subterranean formation a fluid comprising: an aqueous base fluid; a viscoelastic surfactant in an amount effective to increase the viscosity of the fluid; particles selected from the group consisting of proppants and gravel; an amount of a particulate additive effective to reduce fines migration and further in an amount effective to have an effect selected from the group consisting of improved viscosity stability, improved fluid loss, and both, as compared with an otherwise identical fluid absent the additive, where the particulate additive is selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metal oxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, post-transition metal hydroxides, piezoelectric crystals, pyroelectric crystals, and mixtures thereof; and depositing the particles and the particulate additive into a location in or proximate to the subterranean formation.