Patent ID: 7741253

Claim:
A method of reusing a viscosified treatment fluid comprising: providing a first viscosified treatment fluid that comprises water and a first crosslinked gelling agent, the first crosslinked gelling agent being formed from a reaction comprising a gelling agent and a boronic acid crosslinking agent comprising a compound having the formula: wherein X is a Lewis base; R 1 , R 4 , and R 5 are selected from the group consisting of: heteroatoms, organic fragments, and combinations thereof, wherein R 1 , R 4 , and R 5 can be the same or different; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of an aryl group, a polyether and a spacer group; R, R 1 , and R 3 are selected from the group consisting of: hydrogens, alkyl groups, aryl groups, and combinations thereof, wherein R, R 1 , and R3 can be the same or different; —B(OR 3 ) 2 is a boronic acid group; n is a positive integer greater than or equal to one; adjusting the pH of the first viscosified treatment fluid; allowing at least a portion of the first crosslinked gelling agent in the first viscosified treatment fluid to delink to form delinked gelling agents; crosslinking at least two delinked gelling agents to form a second crosslinked gelling agent to form a second viscosified treatment fluid; and using the second viscosified treatment fluid in a chosen application.