Rare earth materials to enhance properties of ceramic particles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017190958-A1
Application number	US-201614987831-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 5, 2016
Priority date	Jan 5, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of improving the flow of a proppant pack or gravel pack comprises: introducing into a subterranean formation or a well a plurality of ceramic particles, the ceramic particles comprising about 0.1 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of a rare earth-containing compound, based on the total weight of the ceramic particles; and forming a proppant pack or gravel pack comprising the plurality of the ceramic particles; wherein the proppant pack or gravel pack improves fluid flow as compared with a reference proppant pack or gravel pack formed from otherwise identical ceramic particles except for being free of the rare earth-containing compound.

First claim

1 . A method of improving fluid flow in a proppant pack or gravel pack, the method comprising:
introducing into a subterranean formation or a well a plurality of ceramic particles, the ceramic particles containing about 0.1 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of a rare earth-containing compound, based on the total weight of the ceramic particles; and forming a proppant pack or gravel pack comprising the ceramic particles; wherein the proppant pack or gravel pack improves fluid flow as compared with a reference proppant pack or gravel pack formed from otherwise identical particles except for being free of the rare earth-containing compound.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rare earth-containing compound comprises one or more of the following: scandium; yttrium; lanthanum; cerium; praseodymium; neodymium; promethium; samarium; lutetium; europium; gadolinium; terbium; dysprosium; holmium; erbium; thulium; or ytterbium.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rare earth-containing compound comprises one or more of cerium or lanthanum.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rare earth-containing compound comprises one or more of the following: cerium oxide; cerium chloride; cerium bromide; cerium hydroxide; cerium carbonate; cerium sulfate; cerium nitrate; cerium ammonium nitrate; or cerium acetate.

5 . The method of claim 1 where greater than 50 wt. % of the rare earth-containing compound are concentrated on the surface of the ceramic particles.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the rare earth-containing compound is present in an amount of about 0.1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % based on the total weight of the proppants.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the rare earth-containing compound forms a coating disposed on a surface of the ceramic particles.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the coating has a thickness of about 0.1 to about 50 micrometers.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the coating covers at least greater than about 50% surface area of the ceramic particles.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic particles comprise one or more of the following: an oxide-based ceramic; a nitride-based ceramic; a carbide-based ceramic; a boride-based ceramic; or a silicide-based ceramic.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic particles comprise or are derived from a composition comprising the rare earth-containing compound and one or more of the following: bauxite; kaolin; clays; alumina; silica; or aluminosilicates.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic particles have an average size of about 1 micron to about 2,500 microns.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic particles are introduced to a fracture of the subterranean formation via a treatment fluid.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising forming the fracture in the subterranean formation.

15 . A treatment fluid comprising a plurality of ceramic particles, the ceramic particles comprising about 0.1 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of a rare earth-containing compound,
wherein the rare earth-containing compound comprises one or more of the following: scandium; yttrium; lanthanum; cerium; praseodymium; neodymium; promethium; samarium; lutetium; europium; gadolinium; terbium; dysprosium; holmium; erbium; thulium; or ytterbium.

16 . The treatment fluid of claim 15 , wherein the rare earth-containing compound comprises one or more of the following: cerium oxide; cerium chloride; cerium bromide; cerium hydroxide; cerium carbonate; cerium sulfate; cerium nitrate; cerium ammonium nitrate; or cerium acetate.

17 . The treatment fluid of claim 15 , wherein the ceramic particles comprise or are derived from a composition comprising at least one rare earth-containing compound and one or more of the following: bauxite; kaolin; clays; alumina; silica; or aluminosilicates.

18 . The treatment fluid of claim 15 , wherein the rare earth-containing compound forms a coating disposed on a surface of the ceramic particles.

Assignees

• Monroe Terry D
• Bhaduri Sumit
• Hudson Harold G
• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Monroe Terry D
• Bhaduri Sumit
• Hudson Harold G

Classifications

• C09K8/805

  Coated proppants · CPC title

• C09K8/80 Primary

  Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open · CPC title

• C04B35/62849

  Silica or silicates · CPC title

• C04B33/04

  Clay; Kaolin · CPC title

• C04B35/62897

  Coatings characterised by their thickness · CPC title