Fracturing Propping Agent from Oily Sludge Ceramic Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing volume of hazardous oily sludge from oil and gas fields poses environmental pollution and ecological damage, necessitating a safe and effective disposal and resource utilization method.
Innovation Solution
A fracturing propping agent is developed using deoiled dry sludge, combined with quartz sand, coal ash, bauxite, clay, manganese powder, titanium dioxide, dolomite, and powdered aluminum, processed through drying, grinding, pelletizing, and calcining to create a high-strength, acid-resistant ceramic particle that can replace natural quartz sand and enhance oil layer conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If oily sludge is stored for later treatment, then treatment flexibility is improved, but storage time is limited to one year by law and environmental pollution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts hazardous oily sludge into useful fracturing propping agent through a multi-step processing system. The sludge undergoes dehydration, drying, grinding, pelletizing, and calcining to transform from a harmful waste product into a functional ceramic material that can be used in oil and gas fracturing operations, thereby eliminating the need for long-term storage and addressing both environmental and economic concerns
2Strength
If natural quartz sand is used for fracturing propping, then propping effectiveness is improved, but resource depletion and environmental damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material source from natural quartz sand to processed oily sludge. Through chemical and physical processing including calcining at high temperatures (1000-1200°C), the sludge undergoes phase changes and chemical transformations to develop the necessary mechanical properties for effective propping, thereby substituting a depleting natural resource with a recyclable waste material
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fracturing propping agent by combining processed sludge with other materials such as quartz sand, coal ash, bauxite, and clay in specific proportions. This composite approach leverages the unique properties of each material while the sludge component provides both structural support and environmental benefit, achieving effective propping while reducing resource depletion
3Object-affected harmful factors
If oily sludge is disposed of through traditional methods, then environmental protection is improved, but treatment cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service treatment system where the oily sludge is processed into a functional material that can be directly applied to oil and gas fields for fracturing operations. The multi-step process including dehydration, drying, grinding, pelletizing, and calcining transforms the waste into a useful product, eliminating the need for complex external treatment facilities and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining environmental protection
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 solution transforms hazardous dry sludge into a high-quality fracturing propping agent, improving oil production efficiency and creating a closed-loop environmental protection system, reducing waste and pollution while providing economic benefits.
Implementation Method 1
drying dry sludge with an oil content of 0.1-0.3% after deoiling until the content of free water is 0.01-1%
Implementation Method 2
pelletizing water, as a binding agent, and the mixed micro powders, to respectively prepare microspheres
Implementation Method 3
calcining the dried microspheres and performing heat preservation to obtain a calcined material
Implementation Method 4
a high-quality petroleum fracturing propping agent is directly prepared through procedures such as drying, grinding, pelletizing, re-drying and calcining based on the dry sludge as a main raw material
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a fracturing propping agent and a preparation method thereof. The fracturing propping agent comprises the following raw materials: dry sludge, quartz sand, coal ash, bauxite and clay. In the present disclosure, a high-quality petroleum fracturing propping agent is prepared by using dry sludge which is obtained after deoiling of oily sludge and is not subjected to high-temperature pretreatment through a silicate microcrystalline ceramic principle: the high-quality petroleum fracturing propping agent is directly prepared with the dry sludge (which is formed after the deoiling of the oily sludge produced by exploiting an oil and gas field, belonging to a hazardous waste) as a main raw material by using drying, grinding, pelletizing, re-drying, calcining and other procedures; the prepared fracturing propping agent not only can replace the function of quartz sand exploited in a natural ore deposit, but also can greatly improve the river diversion property and ultimate recovery of the modified oil layer, so as to create higher economic benefits for oil extraction enterprises. According to the present disclosure, substances from deep underground can be returned back to their exploitation locations in a form of functional materials to realize true closed loop of environmental protection and green exploitation of crude oil.