Recent advances in nanoparticle-enhanced clean VES fracturing fluids: a comprehensive review of performance improvement, synergy, and challenges
Jindong Liu, Bo Peng, Yijing Gao, Zhenghao Zhang, Jingwei Li, Lianbo Liu, Tieya Jing, Juan Zhou
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing is essential for enhancing hydrocarbon reservoir productivity, with fracturing fluid performance directly governing treatment effectiveness. Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluids constitute specialized systems in which worm-like micellar assemblies generate a three-dimensional viscoelastic network. Due to their low formation damage and efficient cleanup, VES fluids have garnered considerable attention in reservoir modification applications. However, limitations—including diminished high‐temperature stability, inadequate fluid-loss control, and suboptimal proppant transport—hinder their broader application. Nanoparticles, by virtue of their high surface area and tunable surface chemistry, offer a promising route to mitigate these drawbacks. This review summarizes recent advances in nanoparticle-reinforced VES fracturing fluids, emphasizing micro-mechanistic interactions and macroscopic performance enhancements. Evidence demonstrates that nanoparticles interact with surfactant micelles via electrostatic shielding, pseudo-crosslinking, and hydrogen bonding, yielding dynamic networks that bolster rheological properties, thermal resilience, and salinity tolerance. Moreover, synergistic nanoparticle–VES effects contribute to improved fluid-loss mitigation, controlled gel breaking, and altered rock wettability, thereby promoting enhanced hydrocarbon recovery. The incorporation of novel nanomaterials—including metal oxides, carbon nanotubes, and magnetic particles—has further diversified VES fluid functionalities. Future efforts should integrate molecular simulations, core-and-field experiments, and multidisciplinary strategies to develop intelligent, eco-friendly nanocomposite fluids optimized for large-scale deployment in complex reservoirs.