Imerys

US Ceramics LLC

Imerys Oilfield Minerals, Inc.

Thomas Parias

Jean Andre Alary

Mark Windebank

Jarrod Hart

David Robert Skuse

Sebastian Sachse

Jean-André Alary

Richard Tamblyn

A sintered rod-shaped proppant and anti-flowback agent possesses high strength and high conductivity. The sintered rods comprise between about 0.2% by weight and about 4% by weight aluminum titanate. In some embodiments, the sintered rods are made by mixing bauxitic and non-bauxitic sources of alumina that may also contain several so-called impurities (such as TiO), extruding the mixture, and sintering it. The starting material may optionally be milled to achieve better compacity and crush resistance in the final sintered rod. A fracturing fluid may comprise the sintered rods alone or in combination with a proppant, preferably a proppant of a different shape.

Method of manufacture and using rod-shaped proppants and anti-flowback additives

A method of treating a subterranean formation by fracturing the subterranean formation is disclosed. The method may include injecting a fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the fluid comprises a blend of a sintered ceramic rod-shaped proppant and a substantially spherical proppant.

Spherical and rod-shaped proppants and anti-flowback agents made from flash calcined clays, such as flash calcined kaolin, possess high strength and high conductivity. The starting material may optionally be milled to achieve better compacity and crush resistance in the final proppant or anti-flowback agent. A fracturing fluid may include the rods or spheres alone, or in combination with each other or other proppants or anti-flowback agents of different shapes.

Proppants and anti-flowback additives comprising flash calcined clay, methods of manufacture, and methods of use

A method of grinding a particulate material, comprising grinding said material in a stirred mill in the presence of a grinding media comprising rod-shaped particles, wherein said rod-shaped particles have an aspect ratio of equal to or greater than about 2:1.

Grinding method

Method of manufacturing and using rod-shaped proppants and anti-flowback additives

An embodiment consistent with the present invention is a high strength proppant comprising an electrofused pellet. In another embodiment, a high strength proppant comprises a substantially solid and substantially spherical pellet produced by electrofusion of at least one metal oxide. A method of making a proppant is also provided, with that method comprising melting at least one metal oxide in an electrical arc furnace, pouring the molten metal oxide to create a pour stream, and separating the pour stream to form at least one electrofused pellet. A method of fracturing subterranean formations is also provided, with that method comprising injecting a fluid containing at least one electrofused pellet.

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Croissy sur Seine, France

Thomas Parias