Spherical pellets containing common clay particulate material useful as a proppant in hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells

Abstract

Ceramic propping agents include a plastic clay, aluminosilicate network modifier, strength enhancing agent, and binder. Usable strength enhancing agents can include nepheline materials having 0.1 to 5 percent iron oxide by weight. A resin coating can be used to encapsulate particles of the ceramic propping agent. The propping agent can be produced by grinding the components to the same approximate particle size, nucleating the particles by adding water, growing the resulting spherical pellets by adding additional particles that adhere to the surface of the spherical pellets, and vitrifying the pellets to form the propping agent.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the priority benefit of the prior-filed, co-pending United States Application for Patent having the application Ser. No. 13 / 924,049, filed Jun. 21, 2013, which in turn claims priority to the United States Provisional Application for Patent having the Application Ser. No. 61 / 664,591, filed Jun. 26, 2012. Both of the above-referenced applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present disclosure relates, generally, to the field of hydraulic fracturing, and more particularly, to propping agents (e.g., “proppant”) and related methods.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Hydraulic fracturing, often referred to as “fracking” in the energy industry, is a stimulation technique utilized to increase the productivity of an oil and / or natural gas well.[0004]The fracturing process involves injecting a fluid into rock formations at a high rate and pressure to widen existing ope...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a method of making ceramic proppants using common clay, which is a readily available material, and other materials to improve their strength. The ceramic can be in an un-calcined, partially calcined, or calcined form. The resulting ceramic proppants have lower costs and lower energy requirements, superior crush resistance, fracture conductivity, specific gravity, and bulk density compared to other proppants. The ceramic proppants also have better delivery logistics and can be manufactured in close proximity to the operational site, eliminating the need for transshipment options for delivery logistics.

Problems solved by technology

However, ceramic proppants have not been utilized as commonly as other types of proppant due to various limitations.

This has caused difficulty in the manufacturing process, as many mineral particulate deposits are limited in supply and only available in certain geographical locations.

The scarcity of raw materials has led to manufacturing facilities located far from the oil and / or natural gas wells at which a manufactured proppant will be utilized, and therefore higher associated transportation costs of said proppants.

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