Petroleum Coke Proppant Classification for Reduced Settling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing proppants, such as sand, suffer from high cost and limited hydrocarbon recovery rates in hydraulic fracturing operations, necessitating the development of high-performance alternatives.
Innovation Solution
The preparation of petroleum coke proppant particles involves sieving and size-classifying petroleum coke particles to achieve specific size distributions, ensuring at least 75% of the first fraction is larger than 105 μm and no more than 10% is smaller than 74 μm, with the remainder being ground and elutriated to achieve a targeted particle size range of 105 μm to 297 μm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sand is used as proppant in hydraulic fracturing, then the process is simple and cost-effective, but the hydrocarbon recovery rate is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters of the proppant by using petroleum coke instead of sand, and further optimizes the particle size distribution parameters through controlled grinding and classification. This material substitution and parameter optimization enables improved hydrocarbon recovery rates while maintaining process simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite proppant system by combining petroleum coke particles with specific size distributions (including microproppant particles of 74-105 μm and larger particles up to 297 μm). This composite structure with controlled particle size distribution enhances the proppant's ability to maintain fracture conductivity and improve hydrocarbon recovery
2Manufacturing precision
If petroleum coke particles are ground to achieve specific size distribution, then the proppant performance is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the petroleum coke particles into different size fractions through controlled grinding and classification processes. By dividing the particle size distribution into specific ranges (microproppant 74-105 μm, intermediate 105-149 μm, and coarse 149-297 μm particles), the process achieves precise manufacturing precision while managing complexity through systematic segmentation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the grinding and classification parameters to achieve the desired particle size distribution. By carefully controlling grinding intensity and classification settings, the process achieves high manufacturing precision for particle size while balancing the manufacturing complexity through parameter optimization
3Reliability
If microproppant particles are removed from the proppant mixture, then the fracture conductivity is enhanced, but the transport efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by incorporating microproppant particles (74-105 μm) in controlled amounts (5-20% by weight) within the overall proppant mixture. This localized inclusion of finer particles in specific proportions enhances fracture conductivity in the critical near-wellbore region while maintaining adequate transport efficiency through the presence of larger particles
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the particle size distribution parameters by controlling the proportion of microproppant particles within 5-20% by weight. This parameter optimization balances the competing requirements of fracture conductivity (benefited by finer particles) and transport efficiency (benefited by coarser particles), achieving the optimal mix composition
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Petroleum coke proppant particles exhibit improved transport, reduced settling, and enhanced conductivity, reducing the need for costly additives and increasing hydrocarbon recovery efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
elutriating the second fraction of petroleum coke particles to obtain a petroleum coke proppant particle fraction and a third fraction of petroleum proppant particles
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprises providing feed petroleum coke particles comprising particles larger than a predetermined threshold size, particles smaller than the threshold size, and optionally petroleum coke microproppant particles, where the predetermined threshold size is greater than 105 μm, and sieving the particles to obtain a first fraction of petroleum coke particles and a second fraction of petroleum coke particles, where at least 75 vol % of the first fraction has particle sizes no smaller than the predetermined threshold size, and substantially all of the second fraction has particle sizes no larger than the threshold particle size, and the second fraction comprises no more than 25 vol % of petroleum coke microproppant particles having sizes no greater than 74 μm. The method comprises size-classifying the second fraction to obtain a petroleum coke proppant particle fraction comprising no more than 10 vol % of petroleum coke microproppant particles having sizes no greater than 74 μm.