Abstract: A method and apparatus are shown for treating a subsurface earth formation penetrated by a well bore. A proppant is blended with a foamable carrier to form a slurry and the slurry is pressurized to a desired pressure. A gas is added to the pressurized slurry to form a foam. Proppant is then added pneumatically to the pressurized slurry after foaming the slurry and the pressurized fluid is injected into the well bore. The proppant is fed to a manifold which is connected to a source of pressurized gas whereby the application of gas pressure to the manifold serves to blow the proppant into the pressurized foam stream. The foam containing the proppant is then injected into the well in the conventional manner to prop open the fracture.

Abstract: A method for pneumatically transferring particluate solid materials into an earth formation penetrated by a well bore is shown. A gas is flowed into the well bore to establish the desired injection rate and pressure. A particulate solid material is then added to the established gas flow passing into the well bore by flowing a gas containing an entrained particulate solid material into the established gas flow to thereby transfer the solid particulate material pneumatically into the well bore.