Lightweight micro-proppant

A method comprising:

• introducing a pad fluid comprising a lightweight micro-proppant into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to create or extend a fracture network in the subterranean formation, wherein the fracture network comprises microfractures, and wherein the lightweight micro-proppant comprises a thermoset nanocomposite of a nanoparticle embedded in a styrene-divinylbenzene-ethylvinyl benzene thermoset polymer having about 3% to about 35% divinylbenzene by weight of its monomers, wherein the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of natural nanoclays, synthetic nanoclays, metal nanoparticles, metal alloy nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles, and any combinations thereof, wherein the nanoparticle has an average diameter of less than about 50 nm and the lightweight micro-proppant has a specific gravity of about 0.9 to about 1.4 and an average diameter of about 0.1 microns to about 50 microns, wherein the micro-proppant is produced by an in situ polymerization method selected from the group consisting of emulsion polymerization, dispersion polymerization, or suspension polymerization;
• wherein the micro-proppant is mechanically treated to reduce the micro-proppant to a desired average diameter if the in situ polymerization produced particulates have a size exceeding an average diameter of about 0.1 microns to about 50 microns;
• wherein a porogen is used during the in situ polymerization to provide pores to the thermoset nanocomposite thereby providing the lightweight microproppant the specific gravity of about 0.9 to about 1.4;
• introducing a proppant slurry comprising a macro-proppant into the wellbore penetrating the subterranean formation after introducing the pad fluid;
• and
• forming a proppant pack in the fracture network wherein at least some of the lightweight micro-proppant is located in the microfractures.