Method of manufacturing and using rod-shaped proppants and anti-flowback additives

Abstract

A sintered rod-shaped proppant and anti-flowback agent possesses high strength and high conductivity. The sintered rods comprise between about 0.2% by weight and about 4% by weight aluminum titanate. In some embodiments, the sintered rods are made by mixing bauxitic and non-bauxitic sources of alumina that may also contain several so-called impurities (such as TiO 2 ), extruding the mixture, and sintering it. The starting material may optionally be milled to achieve better compacity and crush resistance in the final sintered rod. A fracturing fluid may comprise the sintered rods alone or in combination with a proppant, preferably a proppant of a different shape.

1 - 106 . (canceled) 
   
   
       107 . A method of promoting flow in a well bore in a subterranean formation by fracturing the subterranean formation, the method comprising injecting a fluid into the subterranean formation, the fluid containing comprising a sintered rod-shaped article made from a milled composition comprising at least about 90% by weight alumina and between about 0.15% and about 3.5% by weight TiO 2 . 
   
   
       108 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the milled composition comprises between about 0.3% by weight and about 2.7% by weight TiO 2 . 
   
   
       109 . The method of  claim 108  wherein the milled composition comprises between about 0.4% by weight and about 2.3% by weight TiO 2 . 
   
   
       110 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the sintered article comprises between about 0.2% by weight and about 4% by weight aluminum titanate. 
   
   
       111 . The method of  claim 110  wherein the sintered article comprises between about 0.5% by weight and about 3% by weight aluminum titanate. 
   
   
       112 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the sintered article comprises between about 1% by weight and about 2.5% by weight aluminum titanate. 
   
   
       113 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the milled composition has been jet milled. 
   
   
       114 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the milled composition has a multi-modal particle size distribution. 
   
   
       115 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the milled composition has been ball milled. 
   
   
       116 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the milled composition has a d50 less than 10 microns. 
   
   
       117 . The method of  claim 116  wherein the milled composition has a d50 less than 5 microns. 
   
   
       118 . The method of  claim 117  wherein the milled composition has a d50 less than 3 microns. 
   
   
       119 . The method of  claim 118  wherein the milled composition has a d50 less than 1.5 microns. 
   
   
       120 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the milled composition has 95 weight percent of its particles smaller than 30 microns. 
   
   
       121 . The method of  claim 120  wherein the milled composition has 100% of its particles smaller than 30 microns. 
   
   
       122 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the sintered article has an average length of less than 15 mm. 
   
   
       123 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the sintered article has an average length of less than 10 mm. 
   
   
       124 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the sintered article has an average length of less than 5 mm. 
   
   
       125 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the sintered article has an average length of about 4 mm. 
   
   
       126 . The method of  claim 107  wherein the fluid comprises a second proppant. 
   
   
       127 . The method of  claim 126  wherein from about 7% by weight and about 13% by weight of the sintered articles are crushed at 15,000 psi. 
   
   
       128 . The method of  claim 127  wherein from about 8% by weight to about 12% by weight of the sintered articles are crushed at 15,000 psi. 
   
   
       129 . The method of  claim 128  wherein from about 9% by weight to about 11% by weight of the sintered articles are crushed at 15,000 psi. 
   
   
       130 . A method of promoting flow in a well bore in a subterranean formation by fracturing the subterranean formation, the method comprising injecting a fluid into the subterranean formation, the fluid comprising a sintered rod-shaped article formed from a milled composition, the milled composition comprising at least about 80% technical grade alumina by weight and between about 0.1% by weight and about 20% by weight of material containing at least one other oxide. 
   
   
       131 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the sintered article comprises between about 0.2% by weight and about 4% by weight aluminum titanate. 
   
   
       132 . The method of  claim 131  wherein the sintered article comprises between about 0.5% by weight and about 3% by weight aluminum titanate. 
   
   
       133 . The method of  claim 132  wherein the sintered article comprises between about 1% by weight and about 2.5% by weight aluminum titanate. 
   
   
       134 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the at least one other oxide is selected from the group consisting of MgO, Fe 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , ZrO 2 , and TiO 2    
   
   
       135 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the material containing at least one other oxide comprises bauxite. 
   
   
       136 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the milled composition comprises at least 90% technical grade alumina by weight and between about 0.1% by weight and about 10% by weight bauxite. 
   
   
       137 . The method of  claim 136  wherein the milled composition comprises at least 95% technical grade alumina by weight and between about 0.1% by weight and about 5% by weight bauxite. 
   
   
       138 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the milled composition has been jet milled. 
   
   
       139 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the milled composition has a multi-modal particle size distribution. 
   
   
       140 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the milled composition has been ball milled. 
   
   
       141 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the milled composition has a d50 less than 10 microns. 
   
   
       142 . The method of  claim 141  wherein the milled composition has a d50 less than 5 microns. 
   
   
       143 . The method of  claim 142  wherein the milled composition has a d50 less than 3 microns. 
   
   
       144 . The method of  claim 143  wherein the milled composition has a d50 less than 1.5 microns. 
   
   
       145 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the milled composition has 95 weight percent of its particles smaller than 30 microns. 
   
   
       146 . The method of  claim 145  wherein the milled composition has 100% of its particles smaller than 30 microns. 
   
   
       147 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the sintered article has an average length of less than 15 mm. 
   
   
       148 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the sintered article has an average length of less than 10 mm. 
   
   
       149 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the sintered article has an average length of less than 5 mm. 
   
   
       150 . The method of  claim 130  wherein the sintered article has an average length of about 4 mm. 
   
   
       151 . The method of  claim 130  wherein more than one sintered article is injected. 
   
   
       152 . The method of  claim 151  wherein from about 7% by weight and about 13% by weight of the sintered articles are crushed at 15,000 psi. 
   
   
       153 . The method of  claim 152  wherein from about 8% by weight to about 12% by weight of the sintered articles are crushed at 15,000 psi. 
   
   
       154 . The method of  claim 153  wherein from about 9% by weight to about 11% by weight of the sintered articles are crushed at 15,000 psi.