Rod-shaped proppant and anti-flowback additive, method of manufacture, and method of use
AssigneeImerys
InventorsJean Andre Alary, Thomas Parias
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sintered rod-shaped proppant and anti-flowback agent possesses high strength and high conductivity. The sintered rods comprise between about 0.2% by weight and about 4% by weight aluminum titanate. In some embodiments, the sintered rods are made by mixing bauxitic and non-bauxitic sources of alumina that may also contain several so-called impurities (such as TiO2), extruding the mixture, and sintering it. A fracturing fluid may comprise the sintered rods alone or in combination with a proppant, preferably a proppant of a different shape.
Claims60
1-41. (canceled)
A method of promoting flow in a well bore in a subterranean formation by fracturing the subterranean formation, the method comprising injecting a fluid into the subterranean formation, the fluid comprising a sintered rod-shaped proppant comprising at least about 90% by weight alumina and between about 0.2% by weight and about 4% by weight aluminum titanate.
81-90. (canceled)
A method of promoting flow in a well bore in a subterranean formation by fracturing the subterranean formation, the method comprising injecting a fluid comprising sintered rod-shaped proppants into the subterranean formation, wherein pressure in the subterranean formation breaks a portion of the sintered rod-shaped proppants into at least two smaller rod-shaped proppants.
102-121. (canceled)
A method of promoting flow in a well bore in a subterranean formation by fracturing the subterranean formation, the method comprising injecting a fluid into the subterranean formation, the fluid comprising a sintered rod-shaped proppant, wherein the sintered proppant comprises a total alumina content of at least about 90% by weight, where between about 0.1% by weight and about 10% by weight of the alumina is contributed by a mixture containing at least one other oxide.
128-134. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.