Proppant and methods of using the same
AssigneeSouthwestern Energy Company
InventorsThomas Allen, Karen Olson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided herein are novel proppants for use in hydraulic fracturing. The proppant has a core substrate and a light-weight substrate. The light weight substrate comprises a plurality of composite particles; a filler material; and an adhesive. The filler material has a particle-distribution-size of about 5 percent to about 20 percent of the particle-distribution-size of the plurality of composite particles. Additional additives can be optionally added to light-weight substrate. The adhesive binds the light-weight substrate to the core substrate to produce the proppant having a specific gravity of about 1 g/cc. Proppant can travel with the carrier fluid in a frac fluid rather than settling out quickly or floating away.
Claims14
A proppant for use in hydraulic fracturing comprising:
- a core substrate having compressive strength of between about 3,000 psi and about 20,000 psi;
- and
- a light-weight substrate comprising a plurality of composite particles selected from the group of glass micro-spheres, diatomaceous earth, expanded perlite and/or zeolite and having a particle-distribution-size;
- a filler material selected from the group of diatomaceous earth, perlite flour, zeolite powder, silica flour, ceramic powder and/or bauxite powder;
- and an adhesive, wherein the filler material having between about 5 percent to about 20 percent of the particle-distribution-size of the plurality of composite particles, the adhesive binding the light-weight substrate to the core substrate, and the proppant having a specific gravity of about 1 g/cc.
A light-weight coating suitable for use on a core substrate comprising a plurality of composite particles selected from the group of glass micro-spheres, diatomaceous earth, expanded perlite and/or zeolite and having a particle-distribution-size;
- a filler material selected from the group of diatomaceous earth, perlite flour, zeolite powder, silica flour, ceramic powder and/or bauxite powder and having between about 5 percent to about 20 percent of the particle-distribution-size of the plurality of composite particles;
- and an adhesive wherein the light-weight coating is combined with the core substrate to provide a proppant wherein the proppant has a specific gravity of about 1.0 g/cc.
A proppant useful in hydraulic fracturing having a specific gravity of about 1.0 g/cc comprising a light-weight substrate and a core substrate, the light-weight substrate having a specific gravity of significantly less than the core substrate wherein the light-weight substrate comprises a plurality of composite particles having a particle-distribution-size and selected from the group of glass micro-spheres, diatomaceous earth, expanded perlite and/or zeolite bound to the core substrate by an adhesive and a filler material, wherein the filler material selected from the group of diatomaceous earth, perlite flour, zeolite powder, silica flour, ceramic powder and/or bauxite powder and having between about 5 percent to about 20 percent of the particle-distribution-size of the plurality of composite materials.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.