IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,578,261
Granted Patent B2
US 11,578,261 · App. 16/933,955 · Granted Feb 14, 2023

Method of hydraulic fracturing utilizing a hydraulic fracturing fluid with a single phase liquid proppant

Inventors: Lijun Lin (Katy, TX); Jiangshui Huang (Sugar Land, TX); Litao Bai (Houston, TX); Stephanie Yu (Houston, TX); Fuchen Liu (Panjin, CN); Congbin Yin (Chengdu, CN); Wei Gong (Chengdu, CN)
Assignees: CNPC USA Corporation; Beijing Huamei, Inc.; China National Petroleum Corporation
C09K8/80C09K8/665C09K8/68E21B43/267
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,578,261
App. No.
16/933,955
Granted
Feb 14, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosed hydraulic fracturing fluid can include a liquid solvent, one or more surfactants, a proppant-forming compound, and one or more curing agents. When injected into a wellbore, the hydraulic fracturing fluid reacts to form proppant pillars in-situ under downhole conditions. The proppant pillars are capable of maintaining conductive fractures.

Claims (47)

1. A method of hydraulic fracturing comprising

formulating a hydraulic fracturing fluid comprising:

at least one liquid solvent,

at least one surfactant,

at least one liquid phase proppant-forming compound,

at least one curing agent;

injecting the hydraulic fracturing fluid into a wellbore;

wherein a product of agglomerated individual solid beads is generated from a liquid system in-situ under down hole conditions; and

wherein the product of agglomerated individual solid beads forms pillars in a two-dimensional structure capable of maintaining conductive fractures in a downhole environment,

wherein in the hydraulic fracturing fluid further comprises:

31 wt % sea water,

31 wt % resin comprising: 90-100% Phenol, 4-(1-methylethylidene) Bis, polymer with (chloromethane) oxerane, 1-20% epoxide Diluent, 0-10% Modified Epoxy Novalac, 0.1-0.5% Non-Silicone Additive,

31 wt % curing agent comprising: 5-15% Benzyl Alcohol, 15-35% isophoronediamine adduct, 50-60% Aliphatic amine adduct,

7 wt % cationic detergent comprising 99% benzethonium chloride and 1% water.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one liquid solvent further comprises water, brine containing monovalent, divalent, and multivalent salts, ethanol, propanol, butanol, or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one surfactant further comprises anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one liquid phase proppant-forming compound further comprises aliphatic epoxides, anhydrides, glycidyl amine epoxide, cycloaliphatic epoxides, epoxy functional resins, polyurethane resins, phenol-formaldehyde resin, bis-phenol A diglycidyl ether, poly glycidyl ethers, acrylic resin, glycidyl ethers, bis-phenol F diglycidyl ethernovalac resins, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one curing agent further comprises isophorone diamine, boron tri-fluoride derivatives, imidazolines, mercaptans, hydrazides, polyamides, functional resins, mono ethanol amine, benzyl dimethylamine, Lewis acids, tertiary amines, cycloaliphatic amines, amidoamines, aliphatic amines, aromatic amines, isophorone, imidazoles, sulfide, amides and their derivatives.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a pH control agent selected from the group comprising mineral acids, fluoroboric acid, sulfonic acids, carboxylic acids and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a viscosity modifier selected from the group comprising of nanoparticles and water-soluble polymers.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a strength enhancing additive.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the strength enhancing additive is selected from the group comprising silicon particles, graphene particles, carbon black, ceramic particles, and combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one liquid phase proppant-forming compound forms individual solid beads.

11. The method of claim 1 , A method of hydraulic fracturing comprising

formulating a hydraulic fracturing fluid comprising:

at least one liquid solvent,

at least one surfactant,

at least one liquid phase proppant-forming compound,

at least one curing agent

injecting the hydraulic fracturing fluid into a wellbore;

wherein a product of agglomerated individual solid beads is generated from a liquid system in-situ under down hole conditions; and

wherein the product of agglomerated individual solid beads forms pillars in a two-dimensional structure capable of maintaining conductive fractures in a downhole environment,

wherein the hydraulic fracturing fluid further comprises:

23 wt % Poly(Bisphenol A-CO-Epichlorohydrin), Glycidyl End-Capped,

50 wt % 10% Sodium chloride solution,

5 wt % surfactant comprising 35% alkyl imino dipropionic acid, monosodium salt in 65% water, 5 wt % 50% Sodium hydroxide,

15 wt % fatty amine comprising 95-99% tall oil hydroxyethyl imidazoline and 1-5% aminoethylethanolamine, and

2 wt % Isophorone diamine.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one liquid solvent further comprises water, seawater, brine containing monovalent, divalent, and multivalent salts, ethanol, propanol, butanol, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one surfactant further comprises anionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one liquid phase proppant- forming compound further comprises aliphatic epoxides, anhydrides, glycidyl amine epoxide, cycloaliphatic epoxides, epoxy functional resins, polyurethane resins, phenol- formaldehyde resin, bis-phenol A diglycidyl ether, poly glycidyl ethers, acrylic resin, glycidyl ethers, bis-phenol F diglycidyl ethernovalac resins, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one curing agent further comprises isophorone diamine, boron tri-fluoride derivatives, imidazolines, mercaptans, hydrazides, polyamides, functional resins, mono ethanol amine, benzyl dimethylamine, Lewis acids, tertiary amines, cycloaliphatic amines, amidoamines, aliphatic amines, aromatic amines, isophorone, imidazoles, sulfide, amides and their derivatives.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising a pH control agent selected from the group comprising mineral acids, fluoroboric acid, sulfonic acids, carboxylic acids and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising a viscosity modifier selected from the group comprising nanoparticles and water-soluble polymers.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising a strength enhancing additive.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the liquid phase proppant-forming compound forms individual solid beads.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the strength enhancing additive is selected from the group comprising silicon particles, graphene particles, carbon black, ceramic particles, and combination thereof.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2023
From: CNPC USA CORPORATION
To: CNPC USA CORPORATION; BEIJING HUAMEI, INC.; CHINA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062284/0679 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2020
From: LIN, LIJUN; HUANG, JIANGSHUI; BAI, LITAO; YU, STEPHANIE; LIU, FUCHEN; YIN, CONGBIN; GONG, WEI
To: CNPC USA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053258/0485 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16171156 · Oct 25, 2018
Related Publication 20200369952A1 · Nov 26, 2020