# US 9,434,873 B2 · Ceramic proppants

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,434,873 B2
- Document ID: US9434873B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/275,226
- Filed: 2014-05-12
- Published: 2015-03-12
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-01-07
- Assignees: Shamrock Group
- Applicants: Frank O'Brien; Chris Heller
- Inventors: Frank O'Brien; Chris Heller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434873B2

## CPC

- C09K 8/80: Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open
- C04B 35/18: rich in aluminium oxide
- C04B 41/0072: {Heat treatment}
- E21B 43/267: reinforcing fractures by propping
- C04B 2235/3206: Magnesium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
- C04B 2235/3208: Calcium oxide or oxide-forming salts thereof, e.g. lime
- C04B 2235/3213: Strontium oxides or oxide-forming salts thereof
- C04B 2235/3232: Titanium oxides or titanates, e.g. rutile or anatase
- C04B 2235/3272: Iron oxides or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. hematite, magnetite
- C04B 2235/3291: Silver oxides
- C04B 2235/3454: Calcium silicates, e.g. wollastonite
- C04B 2235/349: Clays, e.g. bentonites, smectites such as montmorillonite, vermiculites or kaolines, e.g. illite, talc or sepiolite
- C04B 2235/528: Spheres
- C04B 2235/5296: with a defined aspect ratio, e.g. indicating sphericity
- C04B 2235/5427: millimeter or submillimeter sized, i.e. larger than 0,1 mm
- C04B 2235/72: Products characterised by the absence or the low content of specific components, e.g. alkali metal free alumina ceramics
- C04B 2235/77: Density
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

A sintered, generally spherical ceramic body, having an alumina content of from about 52 to about 55 weight percent distributed substantially homogeneously throughout the body, a silica content from about 32 to about 38 weight percent distributed substantially homogeneously throughout the body, an apparent specific gravity of about 2.61 to about 2.65, and a bulk density of about 1.45 to about 1.56 grams per cubic centimeter.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A high strength propping agent for use in hydraulic fracturing of subterranean formations comprising a plurality of solid, substantially spherical particles, wherein the particles are characterized by a specific gravity of between 2.61 and 2.65 grams per cubic centimeter and ambient temperature permeability of at least about 100,000 millidarcies at 8,000 psi; wherein the composition of the particles comprises: about 36 weight percent alumina, about 56 weight percent silica, about 3 weight percent iron oxide, and about 2 weight percent titania, with the remainder being alkali and alkaline earth metal oxides.