Method of suppressing the generation of dust from sand

摘要

A composite is characterized by particulates of sand wherein at least a portion of the surface of the particulates is coated with a polycationic polymer. The presence of the polycationic polymer on the surface of the particulates reduces the amount of dust generated during handling and use of the sand. The polycationic polymer further reduces the amount of dust generated during transport of the sand as well during manufacture, treatment or processing of the sand.

主权项

1. A method of suppressing the generation of dust from particulates of sand at a wellsite comprising applying onto at least a portion of the surface of the sand particulates a polyionic material in accordance with at least one of the following:
(a) during excavating of the sand particulates from a sand mine; (b) during the processing of evacuated sand from a sand mine; (c) during loading of the sand particulates from a sand mine onto a transport vehicle or into a storage receptacle; (d) during transloading of the sand particulates from a transport vehicle to another transport vehicle or a storage receptacle; (e) during transloading of the sand particulates from a storage receptacle to a transport vehicle or another storage receptacle; (f) after the sand particulates are unloaded from a transport vehicle into one or more storage receptacles but prior to loading the sand particulates into a blender at the wellsite; and (g) as the sand particulates are loaded into a blender at the wellsite and further wherein the particle size of the polyionic material and the sand particulates is substantially the same.