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US 7,067,445 B2Granted
Extended particle size distribution ceramic fracturing proppant
AssigneeSaint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
InventorsRoy A. Webber, Danny L. Mickelson, Stephen K. Schubarth, Edwyn M. Snyder, Andrew T. Sheppard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A proppant mixture with an extended particle size distribution exhibits improved properties, such as crush strength and conductivity, as compared with a conventional product with a narrow size distribution.
Claims39
A method of forming a proppant mixture comprising:
- combining a particulate material with a liquid to form a mixture;
- forming the mixture into spherical pellets;
- screening the pellets;
- and
- firing the pellets to provide a proppant mixture with a median diameter such that when the proppant mixture is sieved through a sequential series of mesh sizes selected from the ASTM U.S. Standard mesh sizes consisting of 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45, the median diameter is in a median mesh size corresponding to one of the meshes in the series, and wherein:
- 0–25% wt. % of the pellets are retained on the sieve having a mesh size which is two sizes preceding the median mesh in the sequence;
- 15–33 wt. % of the pellets are retained on the sieve having a mesh size immediately preceding the median mesh in the sequence;
- 15–33 wt. % of the pellets are retained on the median mesh;
- and
- 15–35 wt. % of the pellets are retained on the next subsequent mesh in the sequence.
7 more elements
A proppant mixture comprising:
- a plurality of ceramic pellets with a median diameter, such that when the proppant mixture is sieved through a sequential series of mesh sizes selected from the ASTM U.S. Standard mesh sizes consisting of 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45, the median diameter is in a median mesh size corresponding to one of the meshes in the series, and wherein:
- 0–25% wt. % of the pellets are retained on the sieve having a mesh size which is two sizes preceding the median mesh in the sequence;
- 15–33 wt. % of the pellets are retained on the sieve having a mesh size immediately preceding the median mesh in the sequence;
- 15–33 wt. % of the pellets are retained on the median mesh;
- and
- 15–35 wt. % of the pellets are retained on the next subsequent mesh in the sequence.
3 more elements
A method of propping a geological formation, comprising:
- combining spherical pellets with a liquid or gel to form a mixture and forcing the mixture under pressure into the geological formation until the pellets are situated in cracks in the formation, the spherical pellets having a median diameter such that when the proppant mixture is sieved through a sequential series of mesh sizes selected from the ASTM U.S. Standard mesh sizes consisting of 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45, the median diameter is in a median mesh size corresponding to one of the meshes in the series, and wherein:
- 0–25% wt. % of the pellets are retained on the sieve having a mesh size which is two sizes preceding the median mesh in the sequence;
- 15–33 wt. % of the pellets are retained on the sieve having a mesh size immediately preceding the median mesh in the sequence;
- 15–33 wt. % of the pellets are retained on the median mesh;
- and
- 15–35 wt. % of the pellets are retained on the next subsequent mesh in the sequence.
3 more elements
A method of forming a proppant mixture comprising:
- combining a particulate material with a liquid to form a mixture;
- forming the mixture into spherical pellets;
- screening the pellets;
- and
- firing the pellets to provide a proppant mixture with a size distribution in which:
- 0–25% wt. % of the pellets have a diameter of from 1.4–1.7 mm;
- 15–33 wt. % of the pellets have a diameter of from 1.18–1.4 mm;
- 15–33 wt. % of the pellets have a diameter of from 1.0–1.18 mm;
- and
- 15–35 wt. % of the pellets have a diameter of from 0.85–1.0 mm.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.