The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 31, 2015
Filed:
Aug. 21, 2008
Dean Willberg, Tucson, AZ (US);
Christopher N Fredd, Ashville, NY (US);
Dina Andreevna Goloshchapova, Khabarovsk, RU;
Sergey Mikhailovich Makarychev-mikhailov, St. Petersburg, RU;
Dean Willberg, Tucson, AZ (US);
Christopher N Fredd, Ashville, NY (US);
Dina Andreevna Goloshchapova, Khabarovsk, RU;
Sergey Mikhailovich MakaryChev-Mikhailov, St. Petersburg, RU;
Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Abstract
A method is given for treating a wellbore in a subterranean formation by hydraulic fracturing, slickwater fracturing, gravel packing, and the like, by using plate-like materials as some or all of the proppant or gravel. The plate-like materials are particularly useful in complex fracture systems, for example in shales. They may be used as from about 20 to about 100% of the proppant. Relative to conventional proppants, plate-like proppants demonstrate (a) enhanced crush resistance of the proppant due to better stress distribution among proppant particles, (b) diminished proppant embedment into formation fracture faces due to the greater contact surface area of proppant particles with the formation, (c) better proppant transport due to lower proppant settling rates, (d) deeper penetration into branched and fine fracture networks, and (e) enhanced proppant flowback control. Preferred plate-like proppants are layered rocks and minerals; most preferred is mica.