Patents Represented by Attorney Charles D. Charles D. Gunter, Jr. Gunter, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5201370
    Abstract: A method of fracturing a subterranean formation in a well bore is shown in which a gellable fracturing fluid is first formed by blending together an aqueous fluid, a hydratable polymer, a suitable cross-linking agent for cross-linking the hydratable polymer to form a polymer gel and an enzyme breaker. The cross-linked polymer gel is pumped into the well bore under sufficient pressure to fracture the surrounding formation. The enzyme breaker is allowed to degrade the cross-linked polymer with time to reduce the viscosity of the fluid so that the fluid can be pumped from the formation back to the well surface. The particular enzyme breaker utilized has an activity in the range from about 2.0 to 11.0 and is effective to attack only specific linkages in the cross-linked polymer gel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: BJ Services Company
    Inventor: Robert M. Tjon-Joe-Pin