Method of estimating fracture geometry, compositions and articles used for the same

• US 20060102345A1
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hexion Incorporated (Hexion Intermediate Holding 2, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc. (Bakelite UK TopCo Ltd.)
• Inventors: McDaniel, Robert R., Sheriff, Michael L., Flowers, James E., McCarthy, Scott M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,424,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/250.100
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/805 Coated proppants
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/267 reinforcing fractures by propping
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/30 operating with electromagnetic waves

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of determining the fracture geometry of a subterranean fracture comprising introducing into the fracture a target particle and/or proppant; transmitting into the fracture electromagnetic radiation having a frequency of about 300 megahertz to about 100 gigahertz; and analyzing a reflected signal from the target particle to determine fracture geometry. Disclosed herein too is a method of determining the fracture geometry of a subterranean fracture comprising introducing into the fracture a target particle and/or proppant; wherein the target particle and/or proppant comprises a high dielectric constant ceramic having a dielectric constant of greater than or equal to about 2; transmitting into the fracture electromagnetic radiation having a frequency of less than or equal to about 3 gigahertz; and analyzing a reflected signal from the target particle and/or proppant to determine fracture geometry.

Claims

1. A method of determining the fracture geometry of a subterranean fracture comprising:

introducing into the fracture a target particle and/or proppant;

transmitting into the fracture electromagnetic radiation having a frequency of about 300 megahertz to about 100 gigahertz; and

analyzing a reflected signal from the target particle and/or a fracture surface to determine fracture geometry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target particle and/or proppant is electrically conducting, electrically non-conducting, electrically semi-conducting, or a combination thereof, wherein the target particle and/or proppant occupies a position at the end of the fracture or the end of a branch emanating from the fracture.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electrically conducting particles and/or proppants comprise metallic particles and/or proppants, non-conducting particles and/or proppants with metallic coatings, carbonaceous particles and/or proppants, electrically conducting metal oxides, electrically conducting polymer particles, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing particles.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the metallic particles and/or proppants comprise metals, and wherein the metals comprise copper, aluminum, steel, iron, brass, nickel, vanadium, cobalt, silver, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the electrically conducting particles and/or proppants comprise carbonaceous particles or electrically conducting metal oxides, and wherein the carbonaceous particles are carbon black, coke, graphitic particles, fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, single wall carbon nanotubes, double wall carbon nanotubes, multiwall carbon nanotubes, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing carbonaceous particles.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the target particles and/or proppant comprise a high dielectric constant particle and/or proppant having a dielectric constant greater than or equal to about 2.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the target particles and/or proppant comprise a high dielectric constant particle and/or proppant having a dielectric constant greater than or equal to about 6.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the high dielectric constant particle and/or proppant comprise a metal substrate upon which is disposed a ceramic coating;

wherein the ceramic coating has a dielectric constant greater than or equal to about 2.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the high dielectric constant particle comprises a ceramic having a dielectric constant greater than or equal to about 2.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the metal substrate comprises copper, aluminum, steel, iron, brass, nickel, vanadium, cobalt, silver, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the ceramic comprises perovskites.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the ceramic comprises lithium tantalum oxide (LiTaO₃), lithium niobium oxide (LiNbO₃), CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂, sintered yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), lanthanum strontium gallium magnesium oxide (LSGM), aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing ceramics.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation has a frequency of less than or equal to about 3 gigahertz.

14. A method of determining the fracture geometry of a subterranean fracture comprising:

introducing into the fracture a target particle and/or proppant;

wherein the target particle and/or proppant comprises a high dielectric constant ceramic having a dielectric constant of greater than or equal to about 2;

transmitting into the fracture electromagnetic radiation having a frequency of less than or equal to about 3 gigahertz; and

analyzing a reflected signal from the target particle to determine fracture geometry.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the target particles and/or proppant comprise a high dielectric constant ceramic having a dielectric constant greater than or equal to about 6.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the target particle and/or proppant comprise a metal substrate upon which is disposed a ceramic coating;

wherein the ceramic coating has a dielectric constant greater than or equal to about 20.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the metal substrate comprises copper, aluminum, steel, iron, brass, nickel, vanadium, cobalt, silver, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the high dielectric constant ceramic comprises perovskites.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the high dielectric constant ceramic comprises lithium tantalum oxide (LiTaO₃), lithium niobium oxide (LiNbO₃), CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂, sintered yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), lanthanum strontium gallium magnesium oxide (LSGM), aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing ceramics.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the electromagnetic radiation has a frequency of less than or equal to about 1 gigahertz.

21. A proppant comprising:

a metallic or inorganic oxide substrate; and

a coating disposed upon the metallic or inorganic oxide substrate;

wherein the proppant has a dielectric constant greater than or equal to about 2.

22. The proppant of claim 21, wherein the metallic substrate comprises copper, aluminum, steel, iron, brass, nickel, vanadium, cobalt, silver, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.

23. The proppant of claim 21, wherein the inorganic oxide comprises sand.

24. The proppant of claim 21, wherein the inorganic oxide comprises a ceramic.

25. The proppant of claim 24, wherein the ceramic comprises perovskites.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the ceramic comprises lithium tantalum oxide (LiTaO₃), lithium niobium oxide (LiNbO₃), CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂, sintered yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), lanthanum strontium gallium magnesium oxide (LSGM), aluminum oxide, tantalum oxide, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing ceramics.

27. A method of manufacturing a proppant comprising:

disposing a coating disposed upon the metallic or inorganic oxide substrate;

wherein the addition of the coating to the substrate increases the dielectric constant of the proppant to an amount of greater than or equal to about 2.