Composition and method for making a proppant
AssigneeOxane Materials, Inc.
InventorsRussell J. Smith, John R. Loscutova, Christopher E. Coker, Andrew R. Barron, Robert D. Skala, Elizabeth A. Whitsitt, Mark Wiesner, Stephen A. Costantino, Rajendra Bordia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to proppants which can be used to prop open subterranean formation fractions. Proppant formulations are further disclosed which use one or more proppants of the present invention. Methods to prop open subterranean formation fractions are further disclosed. In addition, other uses for the proppants of the present invention are further disclosed, as well as methods of making the proppants.
Claims94
A proppant comprising a template sphere having at least one void within the interior of the template sphere and said template sphere having a Krumbein sphericity of at least about 0.3 and a roundness of at least about 0.1, said proppant having a Krumbein sphericity of at least about 0.5 and a roundness of at least about 0.4, and a continuous sintered shell around the entire outer surface of said template sphere, and wherein said shell comprises a ceramic material or oxide thereof and said template sphere comprises a material capable of withstanding sintering, wherein said shell comprises at least one reinforcement material, and wherein said reinforcement material is a fiber, whisker, filler, or any combination thereof, wherein said proppant has a diameter of from 90 microns to 10,000 microns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.