Guar Gum Liquid

1.1 Application in Drilling Fluids

During drilling operations, the performance of drilling fluids directly affects drilling efficiency, wellbore stability and reservoir protection effect. As a thickener and stabilizer for drilling fluids, it can remarkably increase the viscosity and shear strength of drilling fluids, efficiently carry cuttings generated in the drilling process, and prevent sticking accidents caused by cuttings sedimentation and accumulation. Meanwhile, it reduces the fluid loss of drilling fluids, forms a dense filter cake, lessens the invasion of drilling fluids into formations, and protects reservoirs from damage.

The application of the liquid is particularly critical in horizontal coalbed methane well drilling. Aiming at wellbore collapse and reservoir damage problems occurring in horizontal drilling of No.15 coal seam in Qinnan Area, the developed guaran drilling fluid optimizes the dosage of guaran and compounds with other treatment agents.

It delivers good rheological properties and salt tolerance, can greatly enhance the compressive strength of coal rock, and is easy to break gel at low temperature. The residue after gel breaking is less than 300 mg/L, and the permeability recovery rate of coal rock exceeds 85%. It effectively guarantees the smooth construction of long horizontal section drilling in coal seams and improves the daily production capacity of single wells. In addition, the liquid can improve the lubricity of drilling fluids, reduce frictional resistance between drilling tools and wellbores, lower drilling tool wear and extend service life. Its good compatibility enables synergistic effects with other additives in drilling fluids to further optimize overall fluid performance.

1.2 Application in Oil Production

In oil production, guar gum liquid can be used as a water shutoff and profile control agent as well as an oil displacement agent to enhance reservoir development effects. As a water shutoff and profile control agent, its high viscosity can plug high-permeability channels in reservoirs, reduce channeling during water flooding, force injected water to flow into low-permeability zones, and enhance crude oil recovery. As an oil displacement agent, it increases the viscosity of displacement fluid, reduces the water-oil mobility ratio, expands the swept volume of displacement fluid and improves displacement efficiency, making it especially suitable for the development of low-permeability oil and gas reservoirs. Moreover, the liquid is applicable to well unplugging; relying on its thickening and suspending properties, it carries unplugging agents into blocked zones of oil wells to dissolve blockages and restore well productivity.

1.1 Origin and Early Application (2000 BC – 19th Century)

Guaran is derived from Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, also known as cluster bean, a leguminous plant native to arid regions of the Indian subcontinent. Archaeological evidence proves that guar beans were artificially cultivated in the Indus Valley Civilization (around 2000 BC), initially used as vegetable food and livestock feed, and locally named "gopali" (Sanskrit for "protector of cattle"). In ancient Indian Ayurvedic medicine, ground guar bean seeds were used to treat digestive disorders such as diarrhea and dysentery, and also served as a food thickener in traditional cuisines like curries and soups, utilizing its strong water absorption and gel-forming properties to improve food texture. During this period, guar beans were only confined to local areas of India and Pakistan without large-scale trade.

1.2 Industrial Extraction and Commercial Promotion (Early to Mid-20th Century)

At the beginning of the 20th century, European chemists first isolated galactomannan (the core component of guaran) from guar bean endosperm and clarified its chemical structure: a mannose main chain with galactose side chains at a ratio of approximately 2:1. In the 1940s, driven by wartime demand for natural thickeners, the United States began importing guar beans from India and realized industrial extraction of guaran for application in food, textile and other industrial fields. From the 1950s to 1960s, modified guaran such as hydroxypropyl guaran (HPG) was successfully developed, with remarkably upgraded temperature and salt resistance, driving breakthrough applications in petroleum, building materials and other industries. India and Pakistan have become the world's major guar bean producers, accounting for over 90% of global output, and guaran has gradually evolved into a global industrial raw material.

1.3 Development (Late 20th Century to Present)

Traditional powdered guaran suffers from slow dissolution, easy agglomeration and time-consuming liquid preparation, leading to low construction efficiency especially in on-site petroleum drilling. In the 1970s–1980s, the product was successfully developed. Taking white oil and surfactants as carriers, it disperses effective guaran ingredients into a liquid state, enabling ready-to-use application without on-site swelling and greatly improving liquid preparation efficiency. Since the 21st century, growing environmental demands have promoted the compounding of bio-enzyme gel breaking technology with it, reducing reservoir damage and environmental emissions and further consolidating its core position in the petroleum and building materials industries.