Vertical proppant suspension in hydraulic fractures
US10577536B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 2015 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC09K2208/30
- WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method of treating in a subterranean formation including combining an aqueous base fluid, an oil based fluid, a hydrophobic proppant, and a non-hydrophobic proppant to form an immiscible fluid system; and introducing the immiscible fluid system into the subterranean formation. A method of treating includes combining an aqueous base fluid, an oil based fluid, a hydrophobic proppant, and a non-hydrophobic proppant to form an immiscible fluid system; introducing the immiscible fluid system into a fracture in the formation; allowing the immiscible fluid system to separate into at least two separate phases, wherein the oil based fluid and hydrophobic proppant to form proppant aggregates and the aqueous based fluid to act as a spacer fluid surrounding at least a portion of the proppant aggregates; and removing the spacer fluid from the fracture during flowback stage or well production to form proppant-free channels between proppant aggregates.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.