ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PROPPANT AND METHODS FOR DETECTING, LOCATING AND CHARACTERIZING THE ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE PROPPANT

摘要

Electrically conductive proppants and methods for detecting, locating, and characterizing same are provided. The electrically conductive proppant can include a substantially uniform coating of an electrically conductive material having a thickness of at least 500 nm. The method can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein, injecting into the fracture a fluid containing the electrically conductive proppant, electrically energizing the earth at or near the fracture, and measuring three dimensional (x, y, and z) components of electric and magnetic field responses at a surface of the earth or in an adjacent wellbore.

主权项

1. An electrically-conductive proppant particle, comprising:
a sintered, substantially round and spherical particle having less than about 30% crush at 4,000 psi and a specific gravity of about 3.8 g/cm3 or less; and a substantially uniform coating of an electrically-conductive material having a thickness of at least about 500 nm formed on an outer surface of the sintered, substantially round and spherical particle, wherein the electrically-conductive material formed on the outer surface ranges from about 0.1% by weight to about 10% by weight of the electrically-conductive proppant particle.