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. A proppant pack comprising:
a plurality of sintered, substantially round and spherical particles, each said particle, comprising a substantially uniform coating of an electrically conductive material having a thickness of at least 500 nm for uniform coating of said particle, wherein the substantially uniform coating is formed on an outer surface of each said particle, and wherein the sintered, substantially round and spherical particles have an apparent specific gravity of less than 3.8 g/cm3.