Fines control

Maximize your production while protecting your formation with proven fines control solutions from Baker Hughes. Ideal for use in a wide range of reservoir conditions, our fines control systems optimize proppant transport while retaining your reservoir’s permeability.

Efficient, low-cost proppant transport

Minimize formation damage while maximizing proppant and gravel pack permeability with the Diamond PAQ™ fluid system. A water-based, non-ionic “polymer-free” viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluid designed for gravel packing oil and gas reservoirs, Diamond PAQ fluid ensures 90 to 100% proppant pack conductivity while reducing your surface hydraulic horsepower requirements.

The fluid can be weighted with readily available water-soluble salts to create a greater hydrostatic head in wells that are treated at or near the pressure limitations of your stimulation pumping equipment.

Diamond PAQ fluid can be used at a maximum density of 14.2 ppg when mixed with calcium-based brine. Blends of calcium chloride and calcium bromide yield high-density fluids in the 11 to 13 ppg range, delivering greater density at nearly half the cost of mixing with sodium bromide brine.

High permeability for your sandstone formations

Protect your oil and dry gas sandstone reservoirs from damage with the Diamond FRAQ™ fluid system. This water-based, non-ionic VES fluid is specifically developed for sandstone frac pack applications up to 250°F (121°C), where high retained permeability of the proppant in the perforation tunnels and casing - screen annulus is required.

The Diamond FRAQ system retains the natural water wet condition of the reservoir rock for high rate of production of hydrocarbon fluids. This is a distinct advantage over cationic VES systems, which tend to oil wet sandstone surfaces.

Diamond FRAQ concentrate is a single additive that forms a non-ionic micelle viscous solution when added to aqueous fluids. The VES surfactant will viscosify seawater and brines made with sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and most bromide brine blends to 14.5 ppg (1.73°SG). Fluid viscosity is controlled by the concentration of the Diamond FRAQ VES concentrate and base brine. Diamond FRAQ’s VES surfactant can be broken with internal breakers or external breakers.

Reduced fines mobility for maximized production

Minimize production declines due to fines migration with the FSA-2 fines stabilization agent. A hydrolysable organosilane, the FSA-2 agent is added as an aqueous solution to a stimulation treatment in a sandstone formation.

The agent forms a siloxane covalent bond to reduce the mobility of siliceous fines (quartz, feldspars, mica, and clays) in sandstone formations. An improvement over traditional organosilanes, this additive is pH-balanced to enhance the performance of pH sensitive fluids such as fracturing fluids and acid systems.

Contact us today to find the optimal fines control solution for your gravel-packed and hydraulically fractured wells.