Method for the fracture stimulation of a subterranean formation having a wellbore by using thermoset polymer nanocomposite particles as proppants, where said particles are prepared by using formulations containing reactive ingredients obtained or derived from renewable feedstocks

A method for fracture stimulation of a subterranean formation having a wellbore, comprising:

• providing a thermoset polymer nanocomposite particle precursor composition comprising a polymer precursor mixture, dispersed within a liquid medium, containing at least one of a monomer, an oligomer or combinations thereof having three or more reactive functionalities capable of creating crosslinks between polymer chains, wherein 1% to 100% by weight of said polymer precursor mixture is obtained or derived from a renewable feedstock;
• and from 0.001 to 60 volume percent of nanofiller particles possessing a length that is less than 0.5 microns in at least one principal axis direction;
• said nanofiller particles comprising at least one of dispersed fine particulate material, fibrous material, discoidal material, or a combination of such materials, wherein said nanofiller particles are substantially dispersed within the liquid medium;
• subjecting the nanocomposite particle precursor composition to polymerizing conditions to form the polymeric nanocomposite particle, whereby said nanofiller particles are substantially incorporated into a polymer;
• forming a slurry comprising a fluid and a proppant, wherein said proppant comprises the nanocomposite particles, said nanocomposite particles being formed from a rigid thermoset polymer matrix;
• injecting into the wellbore said slurry at sufficiently high rates and pressures such that said formation fails and fractures to accept said slurry;
• and
• emplacing said proppant within a fracture network in said formation in a packed mass or a partial monolayer of particles, which packed mass or partial monolayer props open the fracture network;
• thereby allowing produced gases, fluids, or mixtures thereof, to flow towards the wellbore.