# US 10,308,868 B2 · Generating and enhancing microfracture conductivity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,868 B2 - Document ID: US10308868B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/038,058 - Filed: 2014-01-02 - Published: 2016-10-20 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-01-02 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Philip D. Nguyen; Ronald G. Dusterhoft - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308868B2 ## CPC - C09K 8/80: Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open - C09K 8/66: Compositions based on water or polar solvents (C09K8/64 takes precedence) - C09K 8/70: characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. foams - C09K 8/805: {Coated proppants} - C09K 8/92: characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material (C09K8/70 takes precedence) - E21B 43/26: by forming crevices or fractures - E21B 43/267: reinforcing fractures by propping - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract Methods comprising: introducing a micro-proppant treatment fluid into a formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture in a first treatment interval, wherein the micro-proppant treatment fluid comprises a first aqueous base fluid, micro-proppant particulates, and a first aqueous-based surface modification agent (“ASMA”); placing the micro-proppant particulates into the at least one fracture; introducing a surface modification treatment fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the surface modification treatment fluid comprises a second aqueous base fluid and a second ASMA; coating at least a portion of a face of the at least one fracture with the second ASMA; introducing a macro-proppant treatment fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the macro-proppant treatment fluid comprises a third base fluid and macro-proppant particulates; and placing the macro-proppant particulates into the at least one fracture. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: (a) introducing a micro-proppant treatment fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture in a first treatment interval within the subterranean formation, wherein the micro-proppant treatment fluid comprises a first aqueous base fluid, micro-proppant particulates having a size in the range of about 1 μm to about 100 μm, and a first aqueous-based surface modification agent; (b) placing the micro-proppant particulates into the at least one fracture; (c) introducing a surface modification treatment fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the surface modification treatment fluid comprises a second aqueous base fluid and a second aqueous-based surface modification agent; (d) coating at least a portion of a face of the at least one fracture with the second aqueous-based surface modification agent; (e) introducing a macro-proppant treatment fluid into the subterranean formation intermittently between a substantially solids-free fluid, so as to alternate the macro-proppant treatment fluid and the substantially solids-free fluid within the at least one fracture to form separate islands or pillars with void space therebetween, wherein the macro-proppant treatment fluid comprises a third base fluid and macro-proppant particulates having a size in the range of about 150 μm to about 2500 μm; and, (f) placing the macro-proppant particulates into the at least one fracture, wherein the first aqueous-based surface modification agent is present in the micro-proppant treatment fluid in an amount in the range of from about 0.01% to about 1% by volume of the micro-proppant treatment fluid, and wherein the second aqueous-based surface modification agent is present in the surface modification treatment fluid in an amount in the range of from about 2 to about 5 times the amount of the first aqueous-based surface modification agent present in the micro-proppant treatment fluid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating steps (a) through (f) at a second treatment interval. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the macro-proppant treatment fluid further comprises degradable macro-proppant particulates. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second aqueous-based surface modification agent are selected from the group consisting of a polyamide; a polyester; a polycarbonate; a polycarbamate; a curable resin; a zeta-potential reducing agent; and any combination thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the micro-proppant treatment fluid, the surface modification treatment fluid, and the macro-proppant treatment fluids is introduced into the subterranean formation using a pump. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the micro-proppant particulates are present in the amount in the range of 0.01 lb/gal to 1.0 lb/gal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the macro-proppant particulates are present in an amount in a range of 0.1 lb/gal to 6.0 lb/gal. ### Claim 8 A method comprising: (a) introducing a micro-proppant treatment fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture in a first treatment interval within the subterranean formation, wherein the micro-proppant treatment fluid comprises a first aqueous base fluid and micro-proppant particulates having a size in the range of about 1 μm to about 100 μm coated with a first aqueous-based surface modification agent, thereby forming coated micro-proppant particulates; (b) placing the coated micro-proppant particulates into the at least one fracture; (c) introducing a surface modification treatment fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the surface modification treatment fluid comprises a second aqueous base fluid and a second aqueous-based surface modification agent; (d) coating at least a portion of a face of the at least one fracture with the second aqueous-based surface modification agent; (e) introducing a macro-proppant treatment fluid into the subterranean formation intermittently between a substantially solids-free fluid, so as to alternate the macro-proppant treatment fluid and the substantially solids-free fluid within the at least one fracture to form separate islands or pillars with void space therebetween, wherein the macro-proppant treatment fluid comprises a third aqueous base fluid and macro-proppant particulates having a size in the range of about 150 μm to about 2500 μm; and (f) placing the macro-proppant particulates into the at least one fracture so as to form a proppant pack therein, wherein the first aqueous-based surface modification agent is present in the micro-proppant treatment fluid in an amount in the range of from about 0.01% to about 1% by volume of the micro-proppant treatment fluid, and wherein the second aqueous-based surface modification agent is present in the surface modification treatment fluid in an amount in the range of from about 2 to about 5 times the amount of the first aqueous-based surface modification agent present in the micro-proppant treatment fluid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising repeating steps (a) through (f) at at least a second treatment interval. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second aqueous-based surface modification agent are selected from the group consisting of a polyamide; a polyester; a polycarbonate; a polycarbamate; a curable resin; a zeta-potential reducing agent; and any combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the micro-proppant treatment fluid, the surface modification treatment fluid, and the macro-proppant treatment fluids is introduced into the subterranean formation using a pump. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the micro-proppant particulates are present in the amount in the range of 0.1 lb/gal to 1.0 lb/gal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the degradable macro-proppant particulates are present in an amount in the range of about 0.1 lb/gal to about 6.0 lb/gal. ### Claim 14 A method comprising: (a) introducing a micro-proppant treatment fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture in a first treatment interval within the subterranean formation, wherein the micro-proppant treatment fluid comprises a first aqueous base fluid and micro-proppant particulates having a size in the range of about 1 μm to about 100 μm coated with a first aqueous-based surface modification agent, thereby forming coated micro-proppant particulates; (b) placing the coated micro-proppant particulates into the at least one fracture; (c) introducing a surface modification treatment fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the surface modification treatment fluid comprises a second aqueous base fluid and a second aqueous-based surface modification agent; (d) coating at least a portion of a face of the at least one fracture with the second aqueous-based surface modification agent; (e) introducing a macro-proppant treatment fluid into the subterranean formation intermittently between a substantially solids-free fluid, so as to alternate the macro-proppant treatment fluid and the substantially solids-free fluid within the at least one fracture for forming separate islands or pillars with void space therebetween, wherein the macro-proppant treatment fluid comprises a third aqueous base fluid, macro-proppant particulates having a size in the range of about 150 μm to about 2500 μm, and degradable macro-proppant particulates; (f) placing the macro-proppant particulates and the degradable macro-proppant particulates into the at least one fracture; and (g) degrading the degradable macro-proppant particulates, wherein the first aqueous-based surface modification agent is present in the micro-proppant treatment fluid in an amount in the range of from about 0.01% to about 1% by volume of the micro-proppant treatment fluid, and wherein the second aqueous-based surface modification agent is present in the surface modification treatment fluid in an amount in the range of from about 2 to about 5 times the amount of the first aqueous-based surface modification agent present in the micro-proppant treatment fluid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising repeating steps (a) through (g) at at least a second treatment interval. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second aqueous-based surface modification agent are selected from the group consisting of a polyamide; a polyester; a polycarbonate; a polycarbamate; a curable resin; a zeta-potential reducing agent; and any combination thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the micro-proppant treatment fluid, the surface modification treatment fluid, and the macro-proppant treatment fluids is introduced into the subterranean formation using a pump. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the macro-proppant particulates are present in an amount in a range of 0.1 lb/gal to 6.0 lb/gal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the micro-proppant particulates are present in the amount in the range of 0.1 lb/gal to 1.0 lb/gal.