# US 11,441,068 B2 · Liquid sand treatment optimization

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- Number: US 11,441,068 B2
- Document ID: US11441068B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/051,121
- Filed: 2018-08-27
- Published: 2021-07-29
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-27
- Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
- Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
- Inventors: Mehdi Mazrooee; Ubong Akpan Inyang; Alexander Jose Verde Salas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441068B2

## CPC

- C09K 8/68: containing organic compounds
- C09K 8/685: {containing cross-linking agents}
- C09K 8/80: Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open
- C09K 8/88: macromolecular compounds
- C09K 8/887: {containing cross-linking agents}
- C09K 8/90: of natural origin, e.g. polysaccharides, cellulose
- E21B 43/267: reinforcing fractures by propping
- C09K 2208/04: Hulls, shells or bark containing well drilling or treatment fluids
- C09K 2208/18: Bridging agents, i.e. particles for temporarily filling the pores of a formation; Graded salts
- C09K 2208/20: Hydrogen sulfide elimination
- C09K 2208/28: Friction or drag reducing additives
- C09K 2208/32: Anticorrosion additives
- C09K 2208/34: Lubricant additives
- E21B 43/2607: {Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations}
- 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

A method of hydraulic fracturing may comprise mixing at least one liquid sand mixture with a fluid to produce a fracturing fluid; and conveying the fracturing fluid to two or more wellbores simultaneously, wherein the wellbores penetrate a subterranean formation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of hydraulic fracturing comprising:
mixing at least one liquid proppant mixture having a first proppant concentration with a fluid to produce a fracturing fluid having a second proppant concentration, wherein the first concentration of the liquid proppant mixture is diluted to the second proppant concentration of the fracturing fluid by the fluid, wherein the at least one liquid proppant mixture comprises two or more liquid proppant mixtures, wherein each of the two or more liquid proppant mixtures comprises a proppant, and wherein the proppant in at least one of the two or more liquid proppant mixtures has an average particle size that is disjointed from the average particle size of a remainder of the two or more liquid proppant mixtures; and
conveying the fracturing fluid to two or more wellbores simultaneously, wherein the wellbores penetrate a subterranean formation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid proppant mixture comprises a proppant, water, and a gelling agent.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the proppant comprises at least one proppant selected from the group consisting of sand, bauxite, ceramic materials, glass materials, polymer materials, polytetrafluoroethylene materials, nut shell pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising nut shell pieces, seed shell pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising seed shell pieces, fruit pit pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising fruit pit pieces, wood, composite particulates, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the proppant of the first proppant concentration is present in an amount from about 15 lb/gal to about 30 lb/gal of the liquid proppant mixture.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of galactomannan gums, cellulose derivatives, xanthan gum, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the gelling agent is present in an amount from of about 50 lbs/1,000 gal to about 80 lbs/1,000 gal of the liquid proppant mixture.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the two or more liquid proppant mixtures have a different density, composition, crush strength or a combination thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of mixing at least one liquid proppant mixtures comprises mixing a first liquid proppant mixture having a first property with the fluid to form a first fracturing fluid and mixing a second liquid proppant mixture having a second property with the fluid to form a second fracturing fluid and wherein the step of conveying comprises conveying the first fracturing fluid and the second fracturing fluid simultaneously or one after the other, wherein the first property is different than the second property.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein the first property and the second property are proppant type, proppant crush strength, liquid proppant mixture density, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of conveying comprises pressurizing the fracturing using a pump and flowing the fracturing fluid into the wellbore.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein the first fracturing fluid is pressurized above a fracture gradient of the subterranean formation.

### Claim 12

A system comprising:
a first source of a first liquid proppant mixture comprising a first proppant;
a second source of a second liquid proppant mixture comprising a second proppant, wherein the first proppant and the second proppant have different average particle sizes;
a source of water;
a first pump hydraulically coupled to the first liquid proppant mixture and a conduit;
a second pump hydraulically coupled to the second liquid proppant mixture and the conduit;
a third pump hydraulically coupled to the source of water and the conduit, wherein the third pump is configured to pump water from the source to dilute the first liquid proppant mixture to form a first fracturing fluid, and wherein the third pump is configured to pump water from the source to dilute the second liquid proppant mixture to form a second fracturing fluid;
a fourth pump hydraulically coupled to the conduit and a first wellbore, wherein the fourth pump is configured to pump the first fracturing fluid and the second fracturing fluid to the first wellbore; and
a fifth pump hydraulically coupled to the conduit and a second wellbore, wherein the fifth pump is configured to pump the first fracturing fluid and the second fracturing fluid to the second wellbore.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12 wherein the first liquid proppant mixture comprises water, a proppant, and a gelling agent, wherein the first proppant is present in an amount of about 15 lb/gal to about 30 lb/gal and wherein the gelling agent is present in an amount of about 50 lbs/1,000 gal to about 80 lbs/1,000 gal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12 further comprising a fluid analyzer configured to measure at least one property of the first fracturing fluid and output a signal corresponding to the at least one property.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14 further comprising an electronic control system, wherein the electronic control system is configured to accept the signal from the fluid analyzer and adjust a pumping rate of the first pump, the third pump, or both the first pump and the third pump in response to the signal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12 wherein the first wellbore and the second wellbore penetrate a subterranean formation and wherein the fourth pump and the fifth pump are configured to pump at a pressure above a fracture gradient of the subterranean formation.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12 wherein the first liquid proppant mixture and the second liquid proppant mixture differ by at least one additional property.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17 wherein the at least one additional property is proppant type, proppant particle size, proppant crush strength, liquid proppant mixture density, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12 further comprising a fluid analyzer configured to measure at least one property of the second fracturing fluid and output a signal corresponding to the at least one property.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19 further comprising an electronic control system configured to accept the signal from the fluid analyzer and adjust a pumping rate of the second pump, the third pump, or both the second pump and the third pump in response to the signal.