Thermophilic Enzyme Hydrolysis of Water-Soluble Polymers: Interrelationship Between Biocatalysis and Rheology

9711781 Prud'homme半乳甘露聚糖基天然聚合物的水溶液广泛用作水力压裂液以提高天然气和油井威尔斯的生产率。 半乳甘露聚糖聚合物的化学或酶促水解对于去除聚合物残余物和打开裂缝以用于油或气流是必要的。 由于环境和加工原因，使用半纤维素酶已成为水解的优选途径。 然而，很少有人知道这些酶水解半乳甘露聚糖的机制或生物催化，物理化学，这些系统的流变学之间的关系。 这项合作研究的目的是了解现有的和拟议的聚合物压裂解决方案在高温下酶水解过程中的物理化学和流变学。 结果是生产新一代的增产液，将增加可利用的石油和天然气储量，展示了一类新的或热稳定和热活性酶的技术效用，并提供了半乳甘露聚糖溶液和凝胶水解的动力学和机制的基本理解。 ***

9711781 Prud'homme Aqueous solutions of galactomannan-based natural polymers are used extensively as hydraulic fracturing fluids to enhance productivity from gas and oil wells. Chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis of the galactomannan polymers is necessary to remove the polymer residue and open the fracture for oil or gas flow. For environmental and processing reasons, the use of hemicellulosic enzymes has become the preferred route for hydrolysis. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which these enzymes hydrolyze galactomannans or about the relationship among biocatalysis, physical chemistry, and rheology of these systems. The objectives of this collaborative study are to understand the physical chemistry and rheology of existing and proposed polymeric fracturing solutions during enzymatic hydrolysis at high temperatures. Results are to produce a new generation of stimulation fluids that would increase accessible oil and gas reserves, demonstrate the technological utility of a new class or termostable and thermoactive enzymes, and provide a fundamental understanding of the kinetics and mechanism of hydrolysis of galactomannan solutions and gels. ***