Proppant Solids with Water Absorbent Materials and Methods of Making the Same
Treatment methods for coated or uncoated proppants that can, among other things, control fugitive dust and/or control moisture during typical handling procedures with typical transport equipment and/or add functional features to the proppant solid are disclosed herein.
1 . A process for treating free-flowing, finely divided proppant solids, said process comprising contacting said solids with a water absorbent material in an amount sufficient to reduce the water content of the proppant solids.
2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the water absorbent material is fumed silica.
3 - 4 . (canceled)
5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the water absorbent material is applied in an amount of about 0.001% to about 0.025 wt % based on the weight of the proppant solids.
6 . (canceled)
7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the finely divided proppant solids contacted with the water absorbent material have reduced lump formation, have reduced aggregation, or have increased free flow properties.
8 - 10 . (canceled)
11 . The process of claim 1 , comprising contacting the solids less than five seconds with a liquid treatment agent with an amount of the liquid treatment agent that substantially retains free-flowing characteristics of the treated solids.
12 . The process of claim 11 , wherein the liquid treatment agent comprises the water absorbent material.
13 . The process of claim 11 , wherein said solids are contacted with said liquid treatment agent more than once and each contacting step is for less than five seconds.
14 . The process of claim 1 , wherein said finely divided proppant solids comprise uncoated sand, sand with a cured or partially cured coating, bauxite, ceramic, coated bauxite, or ceramic.
15 - 17 . (canceled)
18 . The process of claim 11 , wherein the liquid treatment agent is effective to coat the solids with a dust reduction coating.
19 . (canceled)
20 . The process of claim 11 , wherein said liquid treatment agent comprises a polysaccharide solution, a C 6 -C 16 alkoxylated alcohol, at least one acrylic polymer, an acrylic copolymer.
21 - 23 . (canceled)
24 . The process of claim 11 , wherein said liquid treatment agent comprises a mixture of at least one C 6 -C 16 alkoxylated alcohol and at least one acrylic polymer.
25 . The process of claim 11 , wherein said liquid treatment agent is applied to said solids in an amount of less than 1 wt % per weight based on the weight of said proppant solids.
26 - 29 . (canceled)
30 . The process of claim 11 , wherein contacting step comprises:
applying a first liquid treatment agent with a first spray assembly onto said solids for less than five seconds;
passing the treated solids through a static mixer; and
applying a second liquid treatment agent with a second spray assembly onto said solids for less than five seconds.
31 - 41 . (canceled)
42 . A process for producing free-flowing, finely divided proppant solids with reduced dust properties, said process comprising:
contacting said solids less than five seconds with a dust reducing liquid treatment agent with an amount of the dust reducing liquid treatment agent that substantially retains free-flowing characteristics of the treated solids and reduces the dust produced by said solids; and
contacting said solids with a water absorbent material.
43 . The process of claim 42 , wherein the water absorbent material is contacted in an amount sufficient to reduce the water content of the proppant solids.
44 . The process of claim 42 , wherein the water absorbent material is fumed silica.
45 - 66 . (canceled)
67 . The process of claim 42 , wherein the liquid treatment agent comprises an emulsion of ethoxylated, propoxylated C 6 -C 12 alcohols, ethoxylated, propoxylated C 10 -C 16 alcohols, acrylic polymers, and water; or about 15% to about 30%, about 17 to about 28%, or about 20% to about 25% of ethoxylated, propoxylated C 6 -C 12 alcohols, or about 5% to about 20%, about 8 to about 18%, or about 10% to about 15% of ethoxylated, propoxylated C 10 -C 16 alcohols; or about 20% to about 25% of ethoxylated, propoxylated C 6 -C 12 alcohols, about 10% to about 15% of ethoxylated, propoxylated C 10 -C 16 alcohols, about 5% to about 10% acrylic polymers, less than 0.1% ammonia, and less than 0.05% free monomers; or about 20% to about 25% of ethoxylated, propoxylated C 6 -C 12 alcohols, about 10% to about 15% of ethoxylated, propoxylated C 10 -C 16 alcohols, about 5% to about 10% acrylic polymers, less than 0.1% ammonia, less than 0.05% free monomers with the remaining being water.
68 . A process of coating a free-flowing proppant, said process comprising:
contacting the proppant for less than five seconds with a liquid treatment agent with an amount of the liquid treatment agent that substantially retains free-flowing characteristics of the proppant to produce coated free-flowing proppant, and
contacting the proppant with a water absorbent material,
wherein the coating is a dust reducing coating, a hydrophobic coating, a coating that reduces friction, a coating that comprises a tracer, an impact modifier coating, a coating for timed or staged release of an additive, a coating that controls sulfides, a different polymeric coating, an acid or base resistant coating, a coating that inhibits corrosion, a coating that increases proppant crush resistance, a coating that inhibits paraffin precipitation or aggregation, a coating that inhibits asphaltene precipitation, or a coating comprising an ion exchange resin that removes anions and/or halogens, or any combination thereof.
69 - 83 . (canceled)
84 . A coated, free-flowing proppant comprising a dried and/or cured coating that comprises less than about 3 wt % of a treating agent and a water absorbent material.
85 - 97 . (canceled)
98 . The coated, free-flowing proppant of claim 84 , wherein the water absorbent material is fumed silica.
99 - 105 . (canceled)