Oil and gas well proppants of silicone-resin-modified phenolic resins

Polymer-coated proppant particles suitable for use in fracturing operations in subterranean geological formations, comprising:

• inorganic proppant particles coated with at least one preformed arylolic resin/silicone resin copolymer,
• wherein
• the arylolic resin of the copolymer comprises a condensate of formaldehyde with at least one of phenol, cresol, or melamine, and
• the silicone resin of the copolymer is an organopolysiloxane comprising D units R2SiO2/2, T units RSiO3/2, and optionally M units R3SiO1/2 and Q units SiO4/2, wherein R is an organic group including a C1-18 alkyl group, C2-18 alkenyl group, C5-6 cycloalkyl group, C6-10 aryl group, C7-14 alkaryl group, or C7-14 arylalkyl group, the silicone resin having Si—OH groups, Si-bonded alkoxy groups, or mixtures thereof, wherein the mol percent of T units is greater than the mol percent of D units, and wherein less than 30 mol percent of Q units are present based on the sum of M, D, T, and Q units.