Cellulosic Particulates and Method of Manufacture and Use Thereof
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of stimulating production of hydrocarbons in an oil or gas well comprising injecting into a subterranean formation either:
- (a) a proppant consisting of a spherical porous or non-porous cellulosic particulate;
(b) a proppant comprising a spherical porous or non-porous cellulosic particulate, at least a portion of the surface of the cellulosic particulate having been treated with a coating or penetrating layer;
(c) a spherical proppant comprising a porous or non-porous cellulosic particulate and a synthetic resin soluble in an ionic liquid;
or(d) a proppant comprising a spherical porous or non-porous cellulosic particulate and at least one temperature stabilizer and/or strengthening agent.
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Abstract
Spherical porous and non-porous cellulose particulates for use in sand control as well as stimulation procedures, may be prepared by first dissolving cellulosic materials (such as fibrous cellulose, wood pulp linters, cotton balls and/or paper), in the substantial absence of water or a nitrogen-containing base, in an ionic liquid. The solution is then combined with a cellulose-insoluble liquid to render the spherical particulates. The surface of the cellulosic particulates may be treated with a coating or penetrating layer.
72 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of stimulating production of hydrocarbons in an oil or gas well comprising injecting into a subterranean formation either:
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(a) a proppant consisting of a spherical porous or non-porous cellulosic particulate; (b) a proppant comprising a spherical porous or non-porous cellulosic particulate, at least a portion of the surface of the cellulosic particulate having been treated with a coating or penetrating layer; (c) a spherical proppant comprising a porous or non-porous cellulosic particulate and a synthetic resin soluble in an ionic liquid;
or(d) a proppant comprising a spherical porous or non-porous cellulosic particulate and at least one temperature stabilizer and/or strengthening agent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A sand control method for a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, comprising introducing into the wellbore either:
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(a) a slurry comprising particulates and a carrier fluid, wherein the particulates are spherical porous or non-porous cellulose particulates; and (b) a slurry comprising a proppant particulate and a carrier fluid, wherein the proppant particulate has an apparent specific gravity greater than or equal to 2.45 and further wherein at least a portion of the proppant particulate is coated or treated with cellulose, the apparent specific gravity of the coated or treated proppant being lower than the apparent specific gravity of the proppant particulate; and placing at least a portion of the particulates adjacent the subterranean formation to form a fluid-permeable pack capable of reducing or substantially preventing the passage of formation particles from the subterranean formation into the wellbore while allowing passage of formation fluids from the subterranean formation into the wellbore. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A process of preparing a proppant comprising spherical porous or non-porous cellulose particulates which comprises:
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(a) admixing cellulose, in the substantial absence of water or a nitrogen-containing base, with an ionic liquid at a temperature between from about −
10°
C. to about 100°
C. to form an admixture, and agitating the mixture for a time sufficient until the cellulose is dissolved;(b) forming a precipitate from the combination of cellulose-insoluble liquid and the product of step (a); (c) recovering spherical cellulose particulates as proppant from the precipitate of step (b); and (d) drying the recovered spherical cellulose particulates. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification