Particle coating process and compositions for ceramic proppant extrusion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016102245-A1
Application number	US-201514975526-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Nov 19, 2013
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods include providing an aqueous slurry of ceramic forming raw materials, where at least a portion of the ceramic forming raw materials are enhanced particulates, and flowing the slurry through at least one extrusion die face to form slurry bodies while the slurry is under a hypotensive condition which is less than about 30 kPa, or otherwise pressure lower than conventional extrusion pressures using unenhanced raw materials. The slurry bodies may then be received in a collecting hopper, and thereafter sintering to form particles, such as ceramic proppant particles. Enhanced particulates may be raw material particulates that are coated, selectively shaped, of particular size(s), or any combination thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
providing an aqueous slurry of ceramic forming raw materials, wherein at least a portion of the ceramic forming raw materials are enhanced particulates; flowing the slurry through at least one extrusion die face to form slurry bodies; receiving the slurry bodies in a collecting hopper; and sintering the slurry bodies to form particles.
wherein the slurry bodies are produced from the die face while the slurry is under a hypotensive condition.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the enhanced particulates are coated particulates.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the coated particulates are particulates of a plurality of volume-average particle size distribution modes.

4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the coated particulates are substantially spherical, needle shaped, flat, ribbon like, grooved, ovate, trilobal shape, star shaped, flat shaped, rectangular shaped, cubic, bar shaped, flaked, cylindrical shaped, filaments, threads, or any combinations thereof.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry comprises bauxite containing less than eighty percent alumina.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry comprises a rheology modifying agent.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the slurry further comprises a reactant and a dispersant.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the dispersant is a surfactant.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the surfactant at least partially influences slurry body shape, size, or combination thereof.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein collecting hopper is a bathless container.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the particles formed are proppant particles.

12 . The method of claim 1 further comprising a sintering step.

13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the particles are sintered at a temperature in the range of from about 1400° C. to about 1650° C.

14 . The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry has a solids content of from about 60% by weight to about 88% by weight.

15 . The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry further comprises at least one ingredient influencing the rheology properties of the slurry.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the ingredient is attapulgite.

17 . The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry comprises about greater than or equal to 46% by weight alumina, about less than or equal to 18% by weight silica and about less than or equal to 10% by weight zirconia or derivatized zirconia oxides.

18 . The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry further comprises at least one of glass, fly ash or soda ash.

19 . The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry further comprises graphite coated iron particles, graphite coated magnetic powder, or combination thereof.

20 . The method of claim 1 wherein the reactant is a polysaccharide.

21 . The method of claim 20 wherein the polysaccharide is an alginate.

22 . The method of claim 1 wherein the coagulation agent is calcium chloride.

23 . The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the slurry bodies in a bath, wherein the bath comprises a foam disposed thereon.

24 . The method of claim 1 wherein the die face is a perforated membrane.

25 . The method of claim 1 wherein the die face comprises at least one nozzle extending therefrom.

26 . The method of claim 1 wherein the hypotensive condition is less than 30 kPa.

27 . A method comprising:
providing an aqueous slurry of ceramic forming raw materials, the slurry further comprising a reactant and a dispersant, and wherein at least a portion of the ceramic forming raw materials are coated particulates; flowing the slurry through a perforated membrane while energizing the slurry to form slurry bodies; passing the slurry bodies through a mist in a chamber, the mist comprising a coagulation agent to react with the reactant in the slurry bodies; receiving the slurry bodies in a collecting hopper; and sintering the slurry bodies to form ceramic proppant particles; wherein the slurry bodies are formed from the perforated membrane while the slurry is under a hypotensive condition that is less than 30 kPa.

28 . A method of hydraulic fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore, the formation having a fracturing stress, the method comprising:
pumping a fracturing fluid into the wellbore at a pressure above the fracturing stress of the formation; and adding proppant particles to the fracturing fluid and delivering the proppant particles and the fluid into the wellbore;
wherein the proppant particles are prepared by providing an aqueous slurry of ceramic forming raw materials comprising coated particulates, flowing the slurry through a die face to form slurry bodies under a hypotensive condition of less than 30 kPa, receiving the slurry bodies in a collecting hopper, and drying the slurry bodies to form the proppant particles.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Barthelmess Thomas Philip

Classifications

• C09K8/805 Primary

  Coated proppants · CPC title

• C04B35/628

  Coating the powders {or the macroscopic reinforcing agents} · CPC title

• C04B35/64

  Burning or sintering processes (C04B33/32 takes precedence {; powder metallurgy B22F}) · CPC title

• B28B3/26

  Extrusion dies · CPC title

• E21B43/267

  reinforcing fractures by propping · CPC title