Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use
Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.
1. A proppant particle comprising a sintered ceramic material and having a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns, and a surface roughness of less than about 2 μm.
2. The proppant particle of claim 1 , wherein the sintered ceramic material comprises kaolin.
3. The proppant particle of claim 1 , wherein the sintered ceramic material comprises bauxite.
4. The proppant particle of claim 1 , wherein the sintered ceramic material comprises alumina.
5. The proppant particle of claim 1 , wherein when the proppant particle is subjected to impingement under a gas-entrained velocity of about 260 m/s onto a flat mild steel target, the target experiences an erosivity of about 1 mg/kg to about 100 mg/kg.
6. The proppant particle of claim 1 , wherein the surface roughness is from about 0.8 μm to about 1.6 μm.
7. The proppant particle of claim 1 , wherein the proppant particle has a long-term permeability greater than 130 darcies at a stress of 10,000 psi and a temperature of 250° F., as measured in accord with ISO 13503-5 when the proppant particle has a size of about 20-40 mesh and a specific gravity of about 2.7.
8. The proppant particle of claim 1 , wherein the proppant particle has a long-term permeability greater than 110 darcies at a stress of 14,000 psi and a temperature of 250° F., as measured in accord with ISO 13503-5 when the proppant particle has a size of about 20-40 mesh and a specific gravity of about 3.3.
9. The proppant particle of claim 1 , wherein the proppant particle has an appropriate strength, appropriate strength being defined as a decrease of less than 85% of long term fluid permeability, as measured in accord with ISO 13503-5 at 250° F., of a pack of test particles, the test particles having the same composition and method of making as the proppant particle, when a stress applied to the pack of test particles increases from 2,000 psi to 20,000 psi and the test particles are in the size range of 20-40 mesh and the test particles have a specific gravity above 3.5.
10. The proppant particle of claim 1 , wherein the proppant particle having a size of about 20-40 mesh with a specific gravity above 3.5 loses less than 15% of its long term liquid conductivity at 20,000 psi after being subjected to 5 cycles of cyclic loading under stresses from about 12,000 psi to about 20,000 psi.
11. The proppant particle of claim 1 , wherein the proppant particle in a size range of 20-40 mesh with a specific gravity above 3.5 has an increase in beta factor of less than 0.0005 at 20,000 psi after being subjected to 5 cycles of cyclic loading under stresses from about 12,000 psi to about 20,000 psi.
12. A method of hydraulic fracturing a subterranean formation, comprising: injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein; and
injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle comprising a sintered ceramic material and having a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns, and a surface roughness of less than about 2 μm.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sintered ceramic material comprises kaolin.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sintered ceramic material comprises bauxite.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sintered ceramic material comprises alumina.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the surface roughness is from about 0.8 μm to about 1.6 μm.
17. A proppant particle, comprising:
a ceramic material selected from sintered kaolin;
wherein the proppant particle has a size of about 40 mesh to about 20 mesh and a surface roughness of from about 0.8 μm to less than about 2 μm.
18. The proppant particle of claim 17 , wherein the surface roughness is from about 0.8 μm to about 1.6 μm.
19. The proppant particle of claim 17 , further comprising a porosity.
20. The proppant particle of claim 19 , further comprising a standard deviation in pore size of less than 4 μm.
21. A proppant particle comprising a sintered ceramic material and having a spherical shape, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns, and a surface roughness of less than about 2 μm.
22. The proppant particle of claim 21 , wherein the spherical shape is an oblate spheroid.
23. A method of hydraulic fracturing a subterranean formation, comprising:
injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein; and
injecting a fluid containing the proppant particle of claim 22 into the fracture.