Back to results
US 2019/0062623 A1Published application
Acoustic Proppant for Fracture Diagnostic
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsSteven Risser, Slawomir Winecki, Ramanathan Lalgudi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods of mapping a subterranean formation using imploding particles are described. In some cases, the particles contain a material that generated a gas which passes through a water-insoluble coating to create a void within the particle. In some aspects, the implosive particles have a coating that dissolves in the subterranean formation.
Claims15
A method of mapping a volume using acoustic signals, comprising:
- injecting gas-generating, collapsible particles into a volume comprising a liquid comprising water;
- wherein the gas-generating, collapsible particles comprise a water-insoluble coating and a gas-generating core;
- wherein the water-insoluble coating does not dissolve but allows a reactant to pass from outside the particle through to the gas-generating core, and allows a generated gas to pass from the core to outside the particle;
- wherein the reactant passes through the water-insoluble coating and reacts with the gas-generating core to generate gas;
- wherein the generated gas passes through the water-insoluble coating to create a void within the particle;
- wherein pressure from the liquid in the volume crushes the water-insoluble coating and produces sound waves in the liquid;
- detecting the sound waves with an acoustic detector that is in sonic contact with the liquid.
4 more elements
A method of mapping a subterranean formation, comprising:
- injecting the particles through a wellbore into a subterranean formation;
- allowing the particles to implode to create acoustic signals;
- and
- detecting the acoustic signals;
- wherein the particles that are injected are hollow glass spheres that are coated with a coating that dissolves in water.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.