Tracer eluting proppants for hydraulic fracturing
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsKishore K. Mohanty, Bochao Zhao, Krishna Panthi, Robin Singh
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Abstract
Described are tracer eluting proppants, such as proppants that have polymeric coatings on them that include tracers, such as a fluorescent dye. The tracer eluting proppants can comprise proppant particles coated with a polymeric coating that can elute tracer under some, but not all conditions. For example, the tracer can be eluted at elevated temperature, pH, and/or salinity conditions, but not elute at lower temperature, pH, and/or salinity conditions. Methods of making and using tracer eluting proppants are also disclosed, including methods for characterizing subterranean reservoirs.
Claims36
A proppant composition comprising:
- a proppant particle;
- a coating on a surface of the proppant particle, the coating comprising a tracer and a polymer, wherein the coating is activatable under temperature, pH, and salinity conditions within a subterranean reservoir.
A method of identifying a proppant position in a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising:
- providing a proppant composition, the proppant composition comprising:
- a proppant particle;
- a coating on a surface of the proppant particle, the coating comprising a tracer and a polymer, wherein the coating is activatable under temperature, pH, and salinity conditions within the subterranean reservoir;
- injecting the proppant composition into the subterranean reservoir;
- producing a fluid from the subterranean reservoir;
- detecting a concentration of the tracer in the fluid produced from the subterranean reservoir as a function of time;
- and
- analyzing the concentration of the tracer to identify a position of the proppant composition in the subterranean reservoir.
A method of making a proppant composition, the method comprising:
- providing a proppant particle;
- contacting the proppant particle with a polymeric solution to form a solution coated proppant particle, the polymeric solution comprising a polymer, a tracer, and a solvent;
- subjecting the solution coated proppant particle to conditions to evaporate solvent from the solution coated proppant particle to form a tracer coated proppant particle, the tracer coated proppant particle comprising:
- the proppant particle;
- a coating on a surface of the proppant particle, the coating comprising the tracer and the polymer, wherein the coating is activatable under temperature, pH, and salinity conditions within a subterranean reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.