breaker — Oil & Gas Glossary

A chemical used to reduce the viscosity of specialized treatment fluids such as gels and foams. Breaking down the fluid viscosity may be desirable either as part of a treatment, such as allowing flow back of the spent treatment fluid, or following a treatment as part of the fluid-disposal process. Depending on the application, a breaker of predictable performance may

Detailed Explanation

be incorporated into the treatment fluid for downhole activation, or be added directly to the returned fluid for immediate effect at surface.