US Patent 8205675 Method of enhancing fracture conductivity

The method disclosed herein includes the introduction of proppant-free stage and a proppant laden stage into the wellbore and/or subterranean formation. The method increases the effective fracture width and enhances fracture conductivity within the formation. Either the proppant-free stage or the proppant laden stage contains a breaker. The other stage contains a viscosifying polymer or viscoelastic surfactant to which the breaker has affinity. The proppant-free stage may be introduced prior to introduction of the proppant laden stage into the wellbore and/or formation. Alternatively, the proppant laden stage may be introduced into the wellbore and/or formation prior to introduction of the proppant-free stage.