Abstract: A composition and method for hydraulically fracturing an oil or gas well to improve the production rates and ultimate recovery using a porous ceramic proppant infused with a chemical treatment agent is provided. The chemical treatment agent may be a tracer material that provides diagnostic information about the production performance of a hydraulic fracture stimulation by the use of distinguishable both water soluble and hydrocarbon soluble tracers. The tracer can be a biological marker, such as DNA. The porous ceramic proppant can be coated with a polymer which provides for controlled release of the chemical treatment agent into a fracture or well bore area over a period of time.

Abstract: A method for producing an electrically-conductive pellet includes reducing a size of a first material. The method also includes wetting the first material to produce a first slurry. The method also includes introducing the first slurry into a fluidizer to produce a first pellet. The method also includes reducing a size of a second material. The second material is an electrically-conductive material. The method also includes wetting the second material to produce a second slurry. The method also includes applying the second slurry to the first pellet.

Abstract: Electrically conductive proppants and methods for detecting, locating, and characterizing same are provided. The electrically conductive proppant can include a substantially uniform coating of an electrically conductive material having a thickness of at least 500 nm. The method can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein, injecting into the fracture a fluid containing the electrically conductive proppant, electrically energizing the earth at or near the fracture, and measuring three dimensional (x, y, and z) components of electric and magnetic field responses at a surface of the earth or in an adjacent wellbore.

Abstract: Methods of using capture gamma-ray spectroscopy for analyzing gravel-packs, frac-packs, and cement are disclosed herein. The methods can include distinguishing particles placed in a borehole region from particles placed in a subterranean formation outside of the borehole region, by utilizing a slurry comprising a liquid, particles, and a thermal neutron absorbing material to place the particles into the borehole region. The methods can also include obtaining first and second data sets by lowering into a borehole traversing the borehole region a pulsed neutron logging tool comprising a pulsed neutron source and a detector, emitting pulses of neutrons from the pulsed neutron source into the borehole region at intervals of one pulse per about 1,000 ?sec for the first data set and about one pulse per about 100 ?sec for the second data set, and detecting capture gamma rays resulting from nuclear reactions in the borehole and the subterranean formation.

Abstract: Methods of hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation to improve the production rates and ultimate recovery by contacting unconsolidated resin-coated proppant particulates residing in a propped fracture with a reactive crosslinker in order to form a consolidated proppant pack. Methods for using proppant surface chemistry in water injection wells to consolidate the resin-coated proppant particulates in a gravel packed or frac packed region of a wellbore.

Abstract: Proppant compositions and methods for using same are disclosed herein. In particular, a proppant composition for use in hydraulic fracturing is disclosed herein. The proppant composition can contain a plurality of particulates and at least one particulate of the plurality of particulates containing a chemical treatment agent. The at least one particulate having a long term permeability measured in accordance with ISO 13503-5 at 7,500 psi of at least about 10 D. The at least one chemical treatment agent can separate from the at least one particulate when located inside a fracture of a subterranean formation after a period of time.

Abstract: Methods are provided for determining the location and height of cement in a subterranean borehole region using pulsed neutron capture (PNC) logging tools. The methods include obtaining a pre-cementing data set, placing in the borehole region a cement slurry that includes a liquid a thermal neutron absorbing material, obtaining a post-cementing data set, comparing the pre-cementing data set and the post-cementing data set to determine the location of the cement, and correlating the location of the cement to a depth measurement of the borehole to determine the location and height of the cement placed in the borehole region.

Abstract: Proppant compositions for use in hydraulic fracturing and methods of using same are disclosed herein. The proppant compositions include a plurality of proppant particulates and at least one particulate of the plurality of proppant particulates containing at least one tracer, wherein the at least one tracer separates from the at least one particulate located inside a fracture of a subterranean formation after a period of time.

Abstract: A method for evaluating induced fractures in a wellbore includes obtaining a first set of data in a wellbore using a downhole tool. The method also includes pumping a first proppant into the wellbore after the first set of data is obtained. The first proppant includes a first tracer that is not radioactive. The method also includes pumping a second proppant into the wellbore. The second proppant includes a second tracer that is not radioactive. The second tracer is different than the first tracer. The first proppant and the second proppant flow into fractures in the wellbore. The method also includes obtaining a second set of data in the wellbore using the downhole tool after the first and second proppants are pumped into the wellbore. The method also includes comparing the first and second sets of data.

Abstract: Methods and systems for infusing ceramic proppant and infused ceramic proppant obtained therefrom are provided. The method can include introducing ceramic proppant and a chemical treatment agent to a mixing vessel, mixing the ceramic proppant and the chemical treatment agent in the mixing vessel to provide a mixture, introducing microwave energy to the mixing vessel to heat the mixture to a temperature sufficient to produce infused ceramic proppant containing at least a portion of the chemical treatment agent, and withdrawing the infused ceramic proppant from the mixing vessel.

Abstract: A method for determining a location of a proppant in a subterranean formation includes obtaining a first set of data in a wellbore using a downhole tool. The proppant is pumped into the wellbore after the first set of data is obtained. The proppant is pumped while or after the subterranean formation is fractured. A second set of data is obtained in the wellbore using the downhole tool after the proppant is pumped into the wellbore. The first set of data and the second set of data include a gravitational field measurement. The first and second sets of data are compared, and in response to the comparison, the location of the proppant in the subterranean formation is determined.

Abstract: Electrically conductive sintered, substantially round and spherical particles and methods for producing such electrically conductive sintered, substantially round and spherical particles from an alumina-containing raw material. Methods for using such electrically conductive sintered, substantially round and spherical particles in hydraulic fracturing operations.

Abstract: Born Scattering Inversion (BSI) systems and methods are disclosed. A BSI system may be incorporated in a well system for accessing natural gas, oil and geothermal reserves in a geologic formation beneath the surface of the Earth. The BSI system may be used to generate a three-dimensional image of a proppant-filled hydraulically-induced fracture in the geologic formation. The BSI system may include computing equipment and sensors for measuring electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the fracture before and after the fracture is generated, adjusting the parameters of a first Born approximation model of a scattered component of the surface electromagnetic fields using the measured electromagnetic fields, and generating the image of the proppant-filled fracture using the adjusted parameters.

Abstract: Electrically conductive proppant particles having non-uniform electrically conductive coatings are disclosed. The non-uniform electrically conductive coatings can have a thickness of at least about 10 nm formed on an outer surface of a sintered, substantially round and spherical particle, wherein less than 95% of the outer surface of the sintered, substantially round and spherical particle is coated with the electrically conductive material. Methods for making and using such electrically conductive proppant particles having non-uniform electrically conductive coatings are also disclosed.

Abstract: Electrically conductive proppant and methods for energizing and detecting the electrically conductive proppant in a single wellbore are disclosed. The methods can include performing numerical simulations solving Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism for electric and/or magnetic fields to determine temporal characteristics of an optimum input wave form and a recording sensor location to be used in a wellbore that extends into a subterranean formation having a fracture that is at least partially filled with proppant and an electrically conductive material, wherein the numerical simulations are based upon an earth model determined from geophysical logs and/or geological information.

Abstract: Methods and compositions using surface chemistry and internal porosity of proppant particulates to consolidate the proppant particulates are described herein. The methods can include a method of gravel packing a wellbore. The method can include mixing an activator, a thickener, a crosslinker and a plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates to provide a gravel pack fluid and introducing the gravel pack fluid into a gravel pack region of the wellbore. The method can also include consolidating at least a portion of the plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates to provide a consolidated gravel pack, wherein the consolidated gravel pack has a UCS of at least about 60 psi when formed under a pressure of about 0.01 psi to about 50 psi and a temperature of about 160° F. to about 250° F.

Abstract: Ceramic particles for use in a solar power tower and methods for making and using the ceramic particles are disclosed. The ceramic particle can include a sintered ceramic material formed from a mixture of a ceramic raw material and a darkening component comprising MnO as Mn2+. The ceramic particle can have a size from about 8 mesh to about 170 mesh and a density of less than 4 g/cc.

Abstract: A catalytic proppant and methods for making and using same are disclosed herein. The catalytic proppant can include a proppant support containing silica and alumina. The proppant support can have a macropore concentration of about 15% to about 45%, a mesopore concentration of about 20% to 50%, and a micropore concentration of about 8% to about 30% based on the total pore volume of the proppant support. The proppant support can also have a surface area of about 0.5 m2/g to about 50 m2/g. The catalytic proppant can have a long term permeability at 7,500 psi of at least about 10 D in accordance with ISO 13503-5.

Abstract: A method for evaluating induced fractures in a wellbore includes obtaining a first set of data in a wellbore using a downhole logging tool. A first proppant is pumped into the wellbore, after the first set of data is captured. The first proppant includes a first tracer that is not radioactive. A second proppant is also pumped into the wellbore, after the first proppant is pumped into the wellbore. The second proppant includes a second tracer that is not radioactive, and the second tracer is different than the first tracer. A second set of data is obtained in the wellbore using the downhole tool after the first and second proppants are pumped into the wellbore. The first and second sets of data are compared.

Abstract: Proppant having amphiphobic coatings and methods for making and using same are disclosed. The proppant having amphiphobic coatings can include a proppant particle having a size from about 8 mesh to about 140 mesh, density of less than about 4.0 g/cm3, and a coating containing an amphiphobic material formed on an outer surface of the proppant particle.