Polymer Proppant Thermal Resistance via Composite Cross-Linking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current proppant materials used in hydraulic fracturing lack sufficient thermal resistance, compression strength, and resistance to aggressive environments, leading to inadequate performance in high-temperature conditions and fragile structures.
Innovation Solution
The development of microspheres made from a metathesis-radically cross-linked mixture of oligocyclopentadienes and methylcarboxy norbornene esters, using specific polymer stabilizers, radical initiators, and catalysts, which are processed to achieve high compressive strength, thermal stability, and resistance to organic solvents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If polydicyclopentadiene is used as proppant material, then ease of manufacture is improved, but thermal resistance and compression strength are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of dicyclopentadiene (70-90 wt%) combined with norbornene esters (10-30 wt%). This composite approach allows the polymer to achieve both ease of manufacture through simple monomer mixing and high compression strength (up to 260 MPa) through synergistic cross-linking between the two components, resolving the contradiction between manufacturability and mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by introducing specific norbornene ester derivatives (methylcarboxy norbornene esters) as cross-linking agents. This parameter change transforms the material properties, enabling the polymer to achieve high compression strength and thermal resistance while maintaining manufacturability through conventional polymerization processes.
2Ease of manufacture
If polydicyclopentadiene is used as proppant material, then ease of manufacture is improved, but thermal resistance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The composite polymer system combining dicyclopentadiene with norbornene esters creates a cross-linked network structure that resists thermal degradation. This composite approach maintains the ease of manufacture of polydicyclopentadiene while achieving superior thermal resistance through the synergistic interaction between monomer components during polymerization and cross-linking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition by incorporating norbornene ester cross-linking agents, which fundamentally changes the thermal properties of the polymer. This parameter change enables the material to maintain structural integrity at high temperatures (glass transition temperature exceeding 340°C) while preserving the simplicity of the manufacturing process.
3Ease of manufacture
If polydicyclopentadiene is used as proppant material, then ease of manufacture is improved, but resistance to aggressive environments is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The composite polymer system created by combining dicyclopentadiene with norbornene esters forms a cross-linked network that provides enhanced chemical resistance. This composite structure maintains the ease of manufacture of conventional polydicyclopentadiene while significantly improving reliability in aggressive environments through the synergistic protective effect of the cross-linked polymer matrix.
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
The resulting proppant exhibits enhanced compressive strength of up to 260 MPa, improved sphericity, and reduced swelling in oil, with a glass transition temperature exceeding 340°C, making it suitable for high-temperature hydraulic fracturing applications.
Implementation Method 1
a metathesis catalyst and a radical initiator are successively introduced into the mixture
Implementation Method 2
at least one of radical initiators selected from the group... the resulting liquid polymer matrix is held at a temperature of 0-50° C. for 1-40 minutes
Data Source
AI summary
The increased thermal strength polymer proppant and method for producing the same relate to the oil and gas production technology using materials of high-molecular compounds, especially to proppants of polymer materials with high requirements for the physical and mechanical characteristics, utilized as propping granules in the oil and gas production by a method of hydraulic fracturing. The proppant is made of a metathesis-radically cross-linked mixture of oligocyclopentadienes and methylcarboxy norbornene esters. The proppant represents microspheres having a roundness and sphericity of at least 0.9 for no less than 80% by weight, whose average size being in the range 0.25-1.1 mm and a bulk density being in the range of 0.5-0.7 g/cm3. The technical result is an increase in thermal strength of the proppant material, providing for a compressive strength of at least 150 MPa at a temperature of not less than 100° C.