Chemically inert resin coated proppant system for control of proppant flowback in hydraulically fractured wells

In a method for consolidating proppant injected into a hydraulic fracture adjacent a wellbore for increasing permeability and producing to the earth's surface hydrocarbon fluids comprising the steps of:

• a) fracturing about the well penetrating into the subterranean formation to form fractures for increased production of the hydrocarbon fluids;
• b) injecting a proppant coated with resin in a fracturing fluid into said fractures for holding open said fractures for increased production of said hydrocarbon fluids;
• and
• c) employing a consolidating fluid for consolidating said proppant downhole;
• the improvement which comprises:
• d) injecting proppant coated with an oligomer of furfuryl alcohol, an oil soluble, slightly water soluble organic acid selected from the group consisting of nitrobenzoic acid, toluene sulfonic acid, oxalic acid and benzoic acid, and an alkyl alkanoate to consume water produced by the polymerization of the resin, wherein said furfuryl alcohol oligomer forms a sticky coating on said proppant;
• e) suspending said coated proppant, acid catalyst and alkyl alkanoate in a carrier fluid comprising water which is from 70% to 100% saturated with sodium chloride;
• f) forming a fluid mixture of furfuryl alcohol oligomer coated proppant, acid catalyst, alkyl alkanoate, and carrier fluid;
• g) introducing the fluid mixture comprising the oligomer coated proppant, acid catalyst, and alkyl alkanoate suspended in the carrier fluid into fracture and forming the cured consolidated proppant particles in the fracture to prop the fracture open.