Methods and compositions for consolidating proppant in subterranean fractures

Abstract

Improved methods and compositions for coating proppant particles with a hardenable resin composition, suspending the coated proppant particles in a fracturing fluid, and consolidating the proppant particles after being placed in fractures into permeable masses are provided. These methods and compositions are especially suitable for low temperature well, specifically those around the 60° F. to 225° F. ranges. Preferably, a liquid hardenable resin component is mixed with a liquid hardening agent component on-the-fly to form a hardenable resin composition. The hardenable resin composition is coated onto proppant particles on-the-fly that are conveyed from a source thereof to form resin-coated proppant particles in real-time. The resin-coated proppant particles are suspended in the fracturing fluid to be utilized down hole.

1 . A two-component hardenable resin composition to be activated at the well site comprising: 
 (a) a liquid hardenable resin component comprising a liquid hardenable resin; and,    (b) a liquid hardening agent component comprising a liquid hardening agent, a silane coupling agent, and a surfactant.    
   
   
       2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the liquid hardenable resin comprises an organic resin comprising bisphenol A-epichlorohydrin resin, polyepoxide resin, novolak resin, polyester resin, phenol-aldehyde resin, urea-aldehyde resin, furan resin, urethane resin, glycidyl ethers or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the hardenable resin comprises about 70% to about 100% by weight of the liquid hardenable resin component.  
   
   
       4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the liquid hardenable resin component further comprises a solvent.  
   
   
       5 . The composition of  claim 4  wherein the solvent comprises butylglycidyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, dimethyl formamide, diethyleneglycol methyl ether, ethyleneglycol butyl ether, diethyleneglycol butyl ether, propylene carbonate, d'limonene, fatty acid methyl esters, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the liquid hardening agent comprises amines, aromatic amines, aliphatic amines, cyclo-aliphatic amines, piperidine, triethylamine, benzyldimethylamine, N,N-dimethylaminopyridine, 2-(N 2 N-dimethylaminomethyl)phenol, tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the liquid hardening agent component further comprises a hydrolyzable ester.  
   
   
       8 . The composition of  claim 7  wherein the hydrolyzable ester comprises dimethylglutarate, dimethyladipate and dimethylsuccinate, sorbitol, catechol, dimethylthiolate, methyl salicylate, dimethyl salicylate, dimethylsuccinate, ter-butylhydroperoxide, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The composition of  claim 7  wherein the hydrolyzable ester comprises from about 0.1% to about 3% by weight of the liquid hardening agent component.  
   
   
       10 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the surfactant comprises ethoxylated nonyl phenol phosphate ester, mixtures of one or more cationic surfactants, a C 12 -C 22  alkyl phosphonate surfactant, one or more non-ionic surfactants and an alkyl phosphonate surfactant, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the surfactant comprises from about 2% to about 15% by weight of the liquid hardening agent component.  
   
   
       12 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the liquid hardening agent component further comprises a liquid carrier fluid.  
   
   
       13 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the liquid carrier fluid comprises dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, dimethyl formamide, diethyleneglycol methyl ether, ethyleneglycol butyl ether, diethyleneglycol butyl ether, propylene carbonate, d'limonene, fatty acid methyl esters, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The composition of  claim 12  wherein the liquid carrier fluid comprises from about 20% to about 40% by weight of the liquid hardening agent component.  
   
   
       15 . A liquid hardening agent component comprised of a cycloaliphatic amine, a silane coupling agent, and a surfactant.  
   
   
       16 . The composition of  claim 15  wherein the liquid hardening agent in the liquid hardening agent component comprises amines, aromatic amines, aliphatic amines, cyclo-aliphatic amines, piperidine, triethylamine, benzyldimethylamine, N,N-dimethylaminopyridine, 2-(N 2 N-dimethylaminomethyl)phenol, tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       17 . The composition of  claim 15  wherein the silane coupling agent comprises N-2-(aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, n-beta-(aminoethyl)-gamma-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       18 . The composition of  claim 15  wherein the liquid hardening agent component further comprises a hydrolyzable ester.  
   
   
       19 . The composition of  claim 18  wherein the hydrolyzable ester comprises dimethylglutarate, dimethyladipate and dimethylsuccinate, sorbitol, catechol, dimethylthiolate, methyl salicylate, dimethyl salicylate, dimethylsuccinate, terbutylhydroperoxide, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       20 . The composition of  claim 15  wherein the surfactant comprises ethoxylated nonyl phenol phosphate ester, mixtures of one or more cationic surfactants, a C 12 -C 22  alkyl phosphonate surfactant, one or more non-ionic surfactants and an alkyl phosphonate surfactant, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       21 . The composition of  claim 15  wherein the liquid hardening agent component further comprises a liquid carrier fluid.  
   
   
       22 . The composition of  claim 21  wherein the liquid carrier fluid comprises dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, dimethyl formamide, diethyleneglycol methyl ether, ethyleneglycol butyl ether, diethyleneglycol butyl ether, propylene carbonate, d'limonene, fatty acid methyl esters or mixtures thereof.