Tracking of particulate flowback in subterranean wells

Abstract

Composition and methods for tracking the transport of particulate solids during the production of hydrocarbons from a subterrenean formation.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A traceable proppant composition for treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore comprising: 
 a particulate material; and    a tracking material, wherein the tracking material is selected from the group consisting of metals, metal salts of organic acids, phosphorescent pigments, fluorescent pigments, photoluminescent pigments, oil soluble dyes, oil dispersible dyes and oil dispersible pigments.    
     
     
         2 . A proppant composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the tracking material comprises a metal selected from Groups I to VIII of the Periodic Table of the elements and the lanthanum series rare earth metals; 
 provided that the metal is not a component of the particulate material; and    provided that the metal is compatible with the fluids disposed within the well bore.    
     
     
         3 . A proppant composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the tracking material comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, aluminum, barium, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, iron, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, lead, titanium, vanadium, zinc and oxide, phosphate, sulfate, carbonate and salt derivatives thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A traceable proppant composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the tracking material comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, zinc, magnesium and barium.  
     
     
         5 . A traceable proppant composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the tracking material comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of manganese oxide, cuprous oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, and barium oxide.  
     
     
         6 . A traceable proppant composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the tracking material is selected from the group consisting of metal salts, metal oxides, metal sulfates, metal phosphates and metal salts of organic acids and the metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, rhenium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium.  
     
     
         7 . A traceable proppant composition according to  claim 6 , wherein the tracking material comprises a metal salt of an organic acid and the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted alkanoic carboxylic acids, alkenoic carboxylic acids, polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and aromatic carboxylic acids.  
     
     
         8 . A traceable proppant composition according to  claim 7 , wherein the organic acid comprises an alkanoic carboxylic acid having from 5 to 35 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         9 . A traceable proppant composition according to  claim 7 , wherein the organic acid comprises an alkenoic carboxylic acid having from 5 to 30 carbon atoms.  
     
     
         10 . A traceable proppant composition according to  claim 7 , wherein the organic acid comprises a polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and eleostearic acid.  
     
     
         11 . A traceable proppant composition according to  claim 7 , wherein the organic acid comprises an aromatic acid selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid and gallic acid.  
     
     
         12 . A traceable proppant composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the tracking material is selected from the group consisting of phosphorescent pigments, fluorescent pigments and photoluminescent pigments and wherein the phosphorescent, fluorescent, and photoluminescent pigments are prepared from materials selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth aluminates activated by rare earth ions, zinc sulfide phosphors, aluminate phosphors, zinc silicate phosphors, zinc sulfide cadmium phosphors, strontium sulfide phosphors, calcium tungstate phosphors and calcium sulfide phosphors.