Method of manufacturing and using rod-shaped proppants and Anti-flowback additives

Abstract

A sintered rod-shaped proppant and anti-flowback agent possesses high strength and high conductivity. The sintered rods comprise between about 0.2% by weight and about 4% by weight aluminum titanate. In some embodiments, the sintered rods are made by mixing bauxitic and non-bauxitic sources of alumina that may also contain several so-called impurities (such as TiO2), extruding the mixture, and sintering it. The starting material may optionally be milled to achieve better compacity and crush resistance in the final sintered rod. A fracturing fluid may comprise the sintered rods alone or in combination with a proppant, preferably a proppant of a different shape.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11 / 469,589, filed Sep. 1, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to methods of making and using proppants for fractured earth having a high compressive strength and simultaneously a good conductivity. It also relates to methods of making and using anti-flowback additives for use in fracturing operations.BACKGROUND[0003]Naturally occurring deposits containing oil and natural gas have been located throughout the world. Given the porous and permeable nature of the subterranean structure, it is possible to bore into the earth and set up a well where oil and natural gas are pumped out of the deposit. These wells are large, costly structures that are typically fixed at one location. As is often the case, a well may initially be very productive, with the oil and natural gas being pumpable with relative ease. As the oil or natural gas...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent text describes methods for making a proppant or anti-flowback additive, which are used in the process of fracturing subterranean formations. The methods involve using a composition made of at least about 90% alumina and between 0.15% and 3.5% titanium dioxide, and then either forming a rod from the composition or sintering it. The technical effect of this invention is to provide a more effective and efficient additive for use in fracturing operations, which helps to improve the production of oil and gas from underground formations."

Problems solved by technology

These wells are large, costly structures that are typically fixed at one location.

However, as a well ages, and sometimes merely as a consequence of the subterranean geology surrounding the well bore, the more remote oil and natural gas may have difficulty flowing to the well bore, thereby reducing the productivity of the well.

Once the fluid is removed, the fractures have a tendency to collapse due to the high compaction pressures experienced at well-depths, which can be more than 20,000 feet.

If forces in a fracture are too high for a given proppant, the proppant will crush and collapse, and then no longer have a sufficient permeability to allow the proper flow of oil or natural gas.

For example, if the proppant particles become too tightly packed, they may actually inhibit the flow of the oil or natural gas rather than increase it.

Too much turbulence can increase the flowback of the proppant particles from the fractures toward the well bore.

This may undesirably decrease the flow of oil and natural gas, contaminate the well, cause abrasion to the equipment in the well, and increase the production cost as the proppants that flow back toward the well must be removed from the oil and gas.

The useful life of the well may also be shortened if the proppant particles break down.

Despite this disclosure of the potential advantages of using rod-like particles for proppants, the industry had not embraced the suggestion.

Indeed, more recent patents cast doubt on the effectiveness of using rod-like shapes.

According to that patent, “in practice this method has proven to have several drawbacks, including reduction in fracture conductivity at effective concentrations of fibrous materials, and an effective life of only about two years due to slight solubility of commonly used fiber materials in brine.

In addition, fiber proppant material used in the technique may be incompatible with some common well-treating acids, such as hydrofluoric acid.” (Col. 2, lines 36-43.)

Although the rod-like fibrous materials are used in conjunction with another proppant, the patent suggests that rod-like particles in a fracturing fluid are undesirable.

A proppant that quickly settles may not reach the desired propping location in the fracture, resulting in a low level of proppants in the desired fracture locations, such as high or deep enough in the fracture to maximize the presence of the proppant in the pay zone (i.e., the zone in which oil or natural gas flows back to the well).

This can cause reduced efficacy of the fracturing operation.

Gravity works against this ideal, pulling particles toward the bottom of the fracture.

However, proppants with properly engineered densities and shapes may be slow to settle, thereby increasing the functional propped area of the fracture.

Yet another attribute to consider in designing a proppant is its acid-tolerance, as acids are often used in oil and natural gas wells and may undesirably alter the properties of the proppant.

Proppants are typically used in large quantities, making them a large part of the cost.

In general, high amounts of silica reduce the strength of the final proppant.

Early high strength proppants were made using tabular alumina which was a relatively expensive component.

Today, as resources become more scarce, the search for oil and gas involves penetration into deeper geological formations, and the recovery of the raw materials becomes increasingly difficult.