Conductivity damage resulting from fracturing fluids has been frequently observed in laboratory tests and is often indicated by production results. Abnormally high breaker concentrations were used in a number of fracturing treatments of gas reservoirs in attempts to minimize proppant conductivity damage and improve well performance. Concentrations of breaker of up to 10 lb/1,000 gal (three to five times the normal concentration) were added to fluids without causing premature loss of viscosity. These concentrations were made possible by encapsulating the breaker with a water-barrier coating and properly scheduling the breaker addition. The breaker addition schedule was optimized to account for the increasing polymer concentrations due to fluid loss as well as the fluid exposure time at the maximum temperature.

Improved well performance has been seen when using higher than normal breaker concentrations. The improved performance includes higher production rates. It can be shown that all of these results can be attributed to higher fracture conductivity because of the reduction of proppant conductivity damage.

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