# US 10,870,792 B2 · Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin proppants

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- Number: US 10,870,792 B2
- Document ID: US10870792B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/552,668
- Filed: 2016-02-25
- Published: 2018-02-15
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-26
- Assignees: Repsol, S.A.
- Applicants: Repsol, S.A.
- Inventors: Manuel López Reyes; Ricardo César Bezerra De Melo; Jacobo Canal Vila; Itziar Martínez Cebrián; Richard Llewellyn Lolley Bowen; Ana Isabel Montenegro García
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870792B2

## CPC

- C09K 8/80: Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open
- C09K 8/62: Compositions for forming crevices or fractures
- C09K 8/805: {Coated proppants}
- E21B 43/267: reinforcing fractures by propping
- E21B 21/003: {Means for stopping loss of drilling fluid (plastering the borehole wall E21B33/138)}
- 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

The present invention relates to the use of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin particles as proppants for treating subterranean formations, as well as to compositions comprising said particles and to fracturing methods employing said particles.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for treating a geological subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore, the method comprising pumping or injecting into the wellbore a plurality of proppant particles, said particles comprising an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin as proppant, wherein the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin has a viscosity average molecular weight in a range from 0.8×106 to 12×106 g/mol, an apparent density in a range from 0.2 to 0.7 g/mL and a sphericity of 0.5 or higher, and wherein said proppant particles provide a proppant pack conductivity greater than 1.744722487×10−14 m2·m (0.058 mD·ft) at 65.5° C. and 13789514.56 Pa (2000 psi).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultra-high molecular weight polyolefin is ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene or ultra-high molecular weight polypropylene.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity average molecular weight of the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin ranges from 2×106 to 10×106 g/mol.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin has an apparent density lying in the range from 0.3 to 0.5 g/mL.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the particles have a sphericity of at least 0.7.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the particles have a porosity between 2 and 50% by volume.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the particles further comprise a coating material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the coating material comprises an electrically conductive material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the electrically conductive material is a metal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the particles further comprise a penetrating material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the coating material comprises a plastic and/or a polymeric resin, and wherein the plastic is selected from nylon, polystyrene, polyol esters, divinyl benzene polystyrene and combinations thereof, and wherein the polymeric resin is selected from phenol formaldehyde resins, melamine formaldehyde resins, urethane resins, epoxy resins, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein the penetrating material comprises a plastic and/or a polymeric resin, and wherein the plastic is selected from nylon, polystyrene, polyol esters, divinyl benzene polystyrene and combinations thereof, and wherein the polymeric resin is selected from phenol formaldehyde resins, melamine formaldehyde resins, urethane resins, epoxy resins, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 13

A composition comprising:
(i) proppant particles, said particles comprising an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin as proppant, wherein the ultra-high-molecular-weight polyolefin has a viscosity average molecular weight in a range from 0.8×106 to 12×106 g/mol, an apparent density in a range from 0.2 to 0.7 g/mL and a sphericity of 0.5 or higher, and wherein said proppant particles provide a proppant pack conductivity greater than 1.744722487×1014 m2·m (0.058 mD·ft) at 65.5° C. and 13789514.56 Pa (2000 psi); and
(ii) a fracturing fluid suitable for carrying the particles;
wherein the proppant particles float in the fracturing fluid.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The composition according to claim 13, wherein the fracturing fluid is water, a linear or branched alcohol or mixtures thereof, or a gas selected from a hydrocarbon based-gas, carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The composition according to claim 13, further comprising one or more additional proppant particles.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

A method for treating a subterranean geological formation penetrated by a wellbore, the method comprising pumping or injecting into the wellbore a composition as defined in claim 13.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the proppant particles provide a proppant pack permeability of higher than 2.9607699×10−15 m2 (0.003 Darcys) at a closure pressure of 13789514.56 Pa (2000 psi).

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method according to claim 13, wherein the proppant particles provide a proppant pack permeability of higher than 2.9607699×10−15 m2 (0.003 Darcys) at a closure pressure of 13789514.56 Pa (2000 psi).

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The composition according to claim 13, wherein the fracturing fluid is water or a water-based fluid.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The composition according to claim 19, wherein the water-based fluid is selected from the group consisting of fresh water, sea water, sodium chloride brines, calcium chloride brines, potassium chloride brines, sodium bromide brines, calcium bromide brines, potassium bromide brines, zinc bromide brines, ammonium chloride brines, tetramethyl ammonium chloride brines, sodium formate brines, potassium formate brines, and cesium formate brines.