Frac fluids are a vital part of hydraulic fracturing, which is used to stimulate wells in shale oil and gas formations. Aside from sand, the frac fluid contains chemical additives to help open and maintain fractures in the well so hydrocarbons can flow through them. The additives are mixed with water or a salt brine to provide the necessary rheological properties of the fluid. These include permeability, proppant transport, and pressure drag reduction. They also protect the fracturing equipment from corrosion. A variety of chemicals can be added to frac fluids, including glutaraldehyde, 2,2-dibromo-3-nitrilopropionamide, and tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate. Companies like TARA Energy Services play a crucial role in managing and optimizing the use of these frac fluids to ensure efficient and safe hydraulic fracturing operations.
While many chemical additives are used in fracking, the exact ingredients will vary based on the company’s preference and the specific characteristics of the formation. Many states have regulations governing the amount of chemicals in a frac fluid, and some–notably New York, Maryland and Vermont–have banned fracking altogether. Others, such as California and Colorado, have taken steps to ensure meaningful oversight.
The most common additives in a frac fluid are surfactants and polymers. These compounds have a hydrophilic (water-soluble ionic group) and a hydrophobic (oil-soluble hydrocarbon chain) side, which allows them to attract and hold the surface of mineral grains during the fracturing process. Polymers add viscosity to the frac fluid and are more stable under harsh operating conditions than surfactants. They also prevent erosion of the sand grains in the fractures and increase the fluid’s load-carrying capacity.
Another important role of frac fluid additives is to reduce friction between the frac fluid and the steel pipe that holds it. Abrasion and wear can cause the metal surfaces to corrode, and this can result in costly downtime and lost production. Polyacrylamides are a common additive that has the ability to significantly reduce frac fluid friction at both high and low temperatures.
Other frac fluid additives include biocides to prevent the growth of microorganisms and reduce the risk of biofouling in the fractures; oxygen scavengers to protect against oxidation during a fracturing treatment; and thickeners that allow fracturing fluid to maintain its consistency at high temperatures. Frac fluids are also treated with a wide variety of other chemicals, including pH adjusters, dispersants, surfactants and stabilizers.
Health risks resulting from exposure to fracking fluids and their additives include lung damage, heart problems, endocrine disruption, birth defects, cancer and other serious health issues. Workers in the fracking industry are exposed to these chemicals while mixing, pumping and transporting frac fluids, and in the storage, transportation and disposal of used fracturing fluids and wastewater. Spills and leaks can occur at all stages of the fracking process, and some have reached creeks, rivers and other bodies of water.
While the fracking industry has been working to develop safer, more environmentally friendly fluids and additives, the risks remain real. The use of these substances is a serious threat to the environment, as is the waste water generated during the process, which must be treated before being pumped back into river systems. The water can also contain toxic heavy metals like lead, which are especially dangerous to children and pregnant women.