Proppant particulates formed from delayed coke and methods related thereto
View Patent ↗Proppant particulates like sand are commonly used in hydraulic fracturing operations to maintain one or more fractures in an opened state following the release of hydraulic pressure. Fracturing fluids and methods of hydraulic fracturing may also use proppant particulates composed of petroleum coke material. Such proppant particulates may have improved transport into fractures because of lower density than traditional proppants like sand and may produce fewer fines that reduce fluid flow through proppant packs. The proppant particulates of the present disclosure are composed of thermally post-treated delayed coke and exhibit mechanical properties comparable to fluid coke and flexicoke petroleum coke materials for use as proppant particulates.
1 . A fracturing fluid comprising:
a carrier fluid; and
thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates, wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates comprise delayed coke that has been thermally post-treated to a temperature in a range of about 400° C. to about 1000° C. for a predetermined duration and ground to a predetermined average size diameter in either order.
2 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined duration is in a range of about 15 minutes to about 24 hours.
3 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined average size diameter is in a range of about 100 micrometers to about 600 micrometers.
4 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates have apparent density in a range of about 1.4 g/cm 3 to about 2.1 g/cm 3 .
5 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates have a bulk density of less than about 0.7 g/cm 3 .
6 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates have a reduced elastic modulus in a range of about 5 gigapascals to about 50 gigapascals.
7 . The fracturing fluid of claim 6 , wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates have a hardness value in a range of about 1 gigapascal to about 4 gigapascals.
8 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates have a weight ratio of carbon to hydrogen of about 50:1 to about 120:1.
9 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates have a percent of degradables as determined by thermogravimetric analysis in a range of up to about 3%.
10 . A method comprising: introducing the fracturing fluid of claim 1 into a subterranean formation.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising prior to introducing the fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation, removing at least a portion of fines having an average particle size distribution of less than about 20 micrometers.
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising depositing at least a portion of the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates within one or more fractures in the subterranean formation to form a proppant pack.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined duration is in a range of about 15 minutes to about 24 hours.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined average size diameter is in a range of about 100 micrometers to about 600 micrometers.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates have one or more of the following properties:
(a) an apparent density in a range of about 1.4 g/cm 3 to about 2.1 g/cm 3 ,
(b) a bulk density of less than about 0.7 g/cm 3 , or
(c) a reduced elastic modulus in a range of about 5 gigapascals to about 50 gigapascals.
16 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the delayed coke has been thermally post-treated to a temperature in a range of about 400° C. to about 800° C.
17 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the delayed coke has been thermally post-treated to a temperature in a range of about 400° C. to about 600° C.
18 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the delayed coke that has been thermally post-treated to a temperature in a range of about 600° C. to about 800° C.
19 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined duration ranges from 15 minutes to 15 hours.
20 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined duration ranges from 15 minutes to 5 hours.
21 . The fracturing fluid of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined duration ranges from 1 hour to 5 hours.
22 . A fracturing fluid comprising:
a carrier fluid; and
thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates, wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates comprise delayed coke that has been thermally post-treated and ground to have an average size diameter from about 100 micrometers to about 600 micrometers.
23 . The fracturing fluid of claim 22 , wherein the delayed coke has been thermally post-treated for a duration of about 15 minutes to about 24 hours.
24 . The fracturing fluid of claim 22 , wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates have apparent density in a range of about 1.4 g/cm 3 to about 2.1 g/cm 3 .
25 . The fracturing fluid of claim 22 , wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates have a bulk density of less than about 0.7 g/cm 3 , and wherein the delayed coke has a sulfur content in a range of about 1 weight percent (wt. %) to about 8 wt. %, a volatile matter content in a range of about 8 wt. % to about 15 wt. %, and a Hargrove grindability index in a range of about 30 to 130.
26 . A fracturing fluid comprising:
a carrier fluid; and
thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates, wherein the thermally post-treated delayed coke proppant particulates have a bulk density of less than about 0.7 g/cm 3 .