A Method to Select Resin-Coated Proppants

Abstract This paper describes a procedure that can be used to select the resin-coated proppant to be used for a particular hydraulic fracturing application. Using this procedure, samples of proppant were cured in a carrier fluid under simulated downhole conditions and the elastic properties, thermal displacement, and time-dependent characteristics (creep) of these samples were determined at different temperatures. Testing involved measuring the time-dependent axial strains for a given load and temperature. Another phase of testing involved loading a cylindrical sample to a predetermined axial load, then increasing temperature slowly until failure occurred. The physical and mechanical properties of these consolidated resin-coated proppant samples were measured to establish a guideline for application of rock mechanics in selecting resin formulations for optimum well performance after a hydraulic fracturing treatment.