Proppant and proppant delivery system

Abstract

A method of increasing hydrocarbon production, the method including fracturing downhole formation and disposing an expandable proppant into the downhole formation. The method further includes expanding the expandable proppant into contact with the downhole formation and holding open the downhole formation with the expandable proppant. A proppant having an expandable outer shell layer, wherein the expandable outer shell layer is configured to expand outwardly to a size at least 10 percent greater in an open position than in a closed position. A proppant delivery system having a tool body, an expandable injector disposed on the side of the tool body, and an expandable proppant disposed within the tool body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A proppant delivery system comprising:
 a tool body;   an expandable injector disposed on the side of the tool body;   an expandable proppant disposed within the tool body; and   a perforation charge.   
     
     
         2 . The proppant delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable proppant comprises an expandable outer shell layer and wherein the expandable outer shell layer is configured to expand outwardly to a size at least 10% greater in an open position than in a closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The proppant delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the perforation charge is disposed on the expandable injector. 
     
     
         4 . The proppant delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the proppant delivery system is disposed on a multi-stage system. 
     
     
         5 . The proppant delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable injector is configured to expand telescopically. 
     
     
         6 . The proppant delivery system of  claim 5 , wherein the expandable injector comprises a locking mechanism configured to lock the expandable injector in an open position. 
     
     
         7 . The proppant delivery system of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one shear pin disposed between the tool body and the expandable injector. 
     
     
         8 . A method of increasing hydrocarbon production, the method comprising:
 fracturing downhole formation;   disposing an expandable proppant into the downhole formation;   expanding the expandable proppant into contact with the downhole formation; and   holding open the downhole formation with the expandable proppant.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising detonating a perforation charge. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising flowing proppants into the downhole formation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the expandable proppant expands outwardly to a size at least 10% greater in an open position than in a closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising deploying a proppant delivery system into a wellbore, wherein the expandable proppant is disposed within the proppant delivery system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the expandable proppant is configured to expand outwardly to a size between 10% and 100% greater in an open position than in a closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the expandable proppant is configured to expand outwardly to a size more than 100% greater in an open position than in a closed position. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein in a closed position the expandable proppant has an external diameter between 0.25 cm and 3.0 cm. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising moving a second proppant disposed within the expandable proppant from within the expandable proppant into contact with the downhole formation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein in a closed position at least one of the expandable proppant and the second proppant has an external diameter between 0.075 cm and 1.5 cm. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein in a closed position at least one of the expandable proppant and the second proppant has an external diameter between 1.0 cm and 3.0 cm. 
     
     
         19 . A proppant delivery system comprising:
 a tool body;   an expandable injector disposed on the side of the tool body;   an expandable proppant disposed within the tool body, wherein the expandable proppant comprises an expandable outer shell layer, wherein the expandable outer shell layer is configured to expand outwardly to a size at least 10% greater in an open position than in a. closed position; and   a perforation charge.   
     
     
         20 . The proppant delivery system of  claim 19 , wherein the perforation charge is disposed on the expandable injector.