Micro-Particle Amorphous Silicate Proppant for Microfracture Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic fracturing in low permeability formations often results in fractures that grow vertically due to least resistance, leading to inefficient proppant distribution and failure to effectively infiltrate complex, smaller fractures, as traditional proppants settle quickly and cannot be carried far enough to prop open microfractures effectively.
Innovation Solution
The use of Micro-Particle Amorphous Silicate (MPAS) with a Mohs hardness between 4.5 and 6, heated and crushed to create irregular shapes with large surface area to weight ratios, allowing it to be carried further and prop open microfractures with low settling velocity, reducing crystalline silica content for safer handling and improving fracture geometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional proppants are used in hydraulic fracturing, then they can prop open fractures, but they settle quickly and cannot be carried far enough to effectively infiltrate microfractures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the proppant by heating silicate to above 1700°C and crushing it to create micro-particles with specific size distribution (5-260 microns), irregular shapes, and high surface area to weight ratios. These parameter changes enable the proppant to be carried further and infiltrate microfractures effectively while maintaining propping capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining amorphous silicate micro-particles with fracturing fluid. The unique physical properties of the heated-and-cushed silicate (low density, high surface area, irregular shape) create a composite proppant system that overcomes the settling problem of traditional proppants and enables effective transport into microfractures
2Productivity
If proppant concentration is increased to prop open more fractures, then more fractures can be propped, but mechanical energy required to create fractures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the density and settling characteristics of the proppant through heating and crushing processes. The resulting micro-particles have lower density and reduced settling velocity, allowing effective propping at lower concentrations without requiring excessive mechanical energy to create and maintain fractures
3Ease of operation
If fractures grow vertically due to least resistance, then fracture propagation is easier, but proppant distribution becomes inefficient and microfractures are not effectively infiltrated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating proppant with specific physical properties (irregular shapes, high surface area to weight ratio, controlled size distribution) that enable effective distribution into microfractures. The unique physical characteristics allow the proppant to locally infiltrate and prop open microfractures that traditional proppants cannot reach, while still being effective in the main fracture network
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
MPAS effectively plugs microfractures, prevents leakoff, enhances primary fracture development, and reduces interference between offset wells, leading to increased well productivity and longer fracture lengths, while being safer for handlers due to reduced crystalline silica content.
Implementation Method 1
creating irregular shapes with large surface area to weight ratios, allowing it to be carried further and prop open microfractures with low settling velocity
Implementation Method 2
a fracturing fluid is injected into the wellbore at high pressures to create fractures in the rock formation surrounding the bore
Implementation Method 3
The stresses ultimately cause splitting, parting, or fracturing of the rock
Implementation Method 4
The fractures can be maintained in a partially open position by the placement of propping agents into the fractures
Data Source
AI summary
A treatment additive for hydraulic fracturing made of heated silica to create amorphous silicate with a Mohs hardness between 4.5 and 6 and a particles distribution with maximum diameter between 5 and 2600 microns that has been heated and shaped into amorphous shapes with large surface area to weight ratio and ultra-low settling velocity used to prop microfractures distal from well bore, especially in low viscosity and high temperature wells. The microparticle size and shape allow the treatment to effectively hold microfractures open, stimulate backpressure, and prevent leakoff; which has the added benefit of improving primary fracture development; refrac and frac protect productivity; and reduces the likelihood of interference between offset wells. An additional benefit is that the treatment doesn't contain crystalline silica.