# US 2020/0347288 A1 · Proppant Treatments for Mitigating Erosion of Equipment in Subterranean Fracturing Operations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0347288 A1 - Document ID: US20200347288A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/933,346 - Filed: 2020-07-20 - Published: 2020-11-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-01 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Philip D. NGUYEN; Janette Cortez MONTALVO; Jun Su AN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200347288A1 ## CPC - C09K 8/805: {Coated proppants} - E21B 43/13: {specially adapted to dewatering of wells of gas producing reservoirs, e.g. methane producing coal beds} - E21B 43/26: by forming crevices or fractures - C09K 8/66: Compositions based on water or polar solvents (C09K8/64 takes precedence) - C09K 2208/24: Bacteria or enzyme containing gel breakers - C09K 2208/26: Gel breakers other than bacteria or enzymes - 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 Systems and methods for treating proppant to mitigate erosion of equipment used in certain subterranean fracturing operations are provided. In some embodiments, the methods comprise: conveying a plurality of coated proppant particulates into a blender, wherein the coated proppant particulates comprise at least a partial coating of DFR and/or a hydratable polymer; blending the plurality of coated proppant particulates with an aqueous base fluid in the blender to form a treatment fluid; and introducing the treatment fluid from the blender into at least a portion of a subterranean formation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: conveying a plurality of proppant particulates into a blender at a job site; while conveying the plurality of proppant particulates into the blender, contacting a plurality of proppant particulates with an aqueous liquid concentrate comprising a hydratable polymer to at least partially coat one or more of the proppant particulates with the hydratable polymer, thereby forming coated proppant particulates; blending the plurality of proppant particulates comprising the coated proppant particulates with an aqueous base fluid in the blender to form a treatment fluid, the treatment fluid having a viscosity of about 25 cP or less; and introducing the treatment fluid from the blender into at least a portion of a subterranean formation that includes at least one fracture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment fluid is introduced into a well bore at the job site that penetrates at least a portion of the subterranean formation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment fluid is introduced into at least a portion of the subterranean formation using one or more pumps. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising, after the step of introducing the treatment fluid into at least a portion of the subterranean formation: allowing at least a portion of the hydratable polymer on the coated proppant particulates to detach from the proppant particulates and disperse into the treatment fluid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing at least a portion of the plurality of proppant particulates in the at least one fracture. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the viscosity of the treatment fluid is less than about 10 cP. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the viscosity of the treatment fluid is from about 3 cP to about 5 cP. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: while conveying the plurality of proppant particulates into the blender, contacting the plurality of proppant particulates with a functionalizing agent before the step of contacting the plurality of proppant particulates with the aqueous liquid concentrate comprising the hydratable polymer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the functionalizing agent comprises an organosilane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of proppant particulate are conveyed into the blender using an auger, a sand screw, or both. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein contacting the plurality of proppant particulates with the aqueous liquid concentrate comprising the hydratable polymer comprises spraying the aqueous liquid concentrate into the plurality of proppant particulates as the proppant particulates are dispensed from a storage container. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising blending a breaker additive with the aqueous base fluid and the plurality of proppant particulates in the blender to form the treatment fluid. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the hydratable polymer comprises at least two monomeric units selected from the group consisting of: acrylamide, acrylic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, vinyl sulfonic acid, N-vinyl acetamide, N-vinyl formamide, itaconic acid, methacrylic acid, an acrylic acid ester, a methacrylic acid ester, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 14 A method comprising: introducing an aqueous fracturing fluid into a well bore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture in the subterranean formation, the aqueous fracturing fluid having a viscosity of about 25 cP or less; conveying a plurality of proppant particulates from a storage container into a blender at a job site where the well bore is located; while conveying the plurality of proppant particulates into the blender, contacting the plurality of proppant particulates with an aqueous liquid concentrate comprising a hydratable polymer to at least partially coat a portion of the proppant particulates with the hydratable polymer, thereby forming coated proppant particulates; blending the plurality of proppant particulates comprising the coated proppant particulates with an aqueous base fluid in the blender to form a treatment fluid, the treatment fluid having a viscosity of about 25 cP or less; and introducing the treatment fluid from the blender into the well bore. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising, after the step of introducing the treatment fluid into the well bore: allowing at least a portion of them the hydratable polymer on the coated proppant particulates to detach from the proppant particulates and disperse into the treatment fluid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising depositing at least a portion of the plurality of proppant particulates in at least one fracture in the subterranean formation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of proppant particulate are conveyed into the blender using an auger, a sand screw, or both. ### Claim 18 A method comprising: introducing an aqueous fracturing fluid into a well bore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture in the subterranean formation, the aqueous fracturing fluid having a viscosity of about 25 cP or less; using an auger, a sand screw, or a combination thereof to convey a plurality of proppant particulates from a storage container into a blender at a job site where the well bore is located; while conveying the plurality of proppant particulates into the blender, contacting the plurality of proppant particulates with a functionalizing agent, and contacting the plurality of proppant particulates with an aqueous liquid concentrate comprising a hydratable polymer to at least partially coat a portion of the proppant particulates with the hydratable polymer, thereby forming coated proppant particulates; blending the plurality of proppant particulates comprising the coated proppant particulates with an aqueous base fluid in the blender to form a treatment fluid, the treatment fluid having a viscosity of about 25 cP or less; and introducing the treatment fluid from the blender into the well bore. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising depositing at least a portion of the plurality of proppant particulates in the at least one fracture. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising blending a breaker additive with the aqueous base fluid and the plurality of proppant particulates in the blender to form the treatment fluid.