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.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 31, 2017

Filed:

Mar. 28, 2012
Applicants:

Andrew R. Barron, Houston, TX (US);

Robert D. Skala, Katy, TX (US);

Christopher E. Coker, Houston, TX (US);

Dilip K. Chatterjee, Houston, TX (US);

Yuming Xie, Fremont, CA (US);

Inventors:

Andrew R. Barron, Houston, TX (US);

Robert D. Skala, Katy, TX (US);

Christopher E. Coker, Houston, TX (US);

Dilip K. Chatterjee, Houston, TX (US);

Yuming Xie, Fremont, CA (US);

Assignee:
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
C09K 8/80 (2006.01); E21B 49/00 (2006.01); B01J 13/02 (2006.01); B82Y 30/00 (2011.01); C04B 35/628 (2006.01); E21B 43/00 (2006.01); E21B 43/267 (2006.01); E21B 47/00 (2012.01); E21B 47/12 (2012.01); G01V 3/24 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
C09K 8/80 (2013.01); B01J 13/02 (2013.01); B82Y 30/00 (2013.01); C04B 35/62807 (2013.01); C04B 35/62823 (2013.01); C04B 35/62839 (2013.01); C04B 35/62842 (2013.01); C04B 35/62894 (2013.01); C09K 8/805 (2013.01); E21B 43/00 (2013.01); E21B 43/267 (2013.01); E21B 47/00 (2013.01); E21B 47/12 (2013.01); E21B 49/00 (2013.01); G01V 3/24 (2013.01); C04B 2235/3418 (2013.01); C04B 2235/422 (2013.01); C04B 2235/5288 (2013.01); Y10S 507/907 (2013.01); Y10S 507/924 (2013.01); Y10T 428/29 (2015.01); Y10T 428/2991 (2015.01); Y10T 428/2993 (2015.01);
Abstract

Proppants having added functional properties are provided, as are methods that use the proppants to track and trace the characteristics of a fracture in a geologic formation. Information obtained by the methods can be used to design a fracturing job, to increase conductivity in the fracture, and to enhance oil and gas recovery from the geologic formation. The functionalized proppants can be detected by a variety of methods utilizing, for example, an airborne magnetometer survey, ground penetrating radar, a high resolution accelerometer, a geophone, nuclear magnetic resonance, ultra-sound, impedance measurements, piezoelectric activity, radioactivity, and the like. Methods of mapping a subterranean formation are also provided and use the functionalized proppants to detect characteristics of the formation.


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