Abstract: Processes for chemically treating mixed aromatic feedstock to form thermoset aromatic resins are provided. The thermoset materials possess high compressive strength and find particular use in load-bearing applications, for example, infrastructure applications, as proppants, and as components in composite materials.

Abstract: Proppant particulates like sand are commonly used in hydraulic fracturing operations to maintain one or more fractures in an opened state following the release of hydraulic pressure. Fracturing fluids and methods of hydraulic fracturing may also use proppant particulates composed of agitated petroleum coke particles (referred to as agitated petroleum coke proppant particulates). In some instances, the agitated petroleum coke proppant particulates are characterized by a particle density of equal to or less than about 1.6 grams per cubic centimeter. The agitation processing of the present disclosure can remove petroleum coke particles having initiated cracking or scissions that are prone to fines production.

Abstract: Lost circulation particles are commonly used in drilling and/or cementing operations to prevent fluid loss to a subterranean formation. Lost circulation fluids and methods of drilling and/or cementing operations may also use petroleum coke lost circulation particles composed of fluid coke and/or flexicoke material. Such petroleum coke lost circulation particles may have improved transport into wellbores because of their lower density compared to traditional lost circulation material and may produce fewer fines that can interfere with lost circulation efficacy.

Abstract: Gravel packing particles like sand are commonly used in sand control operations to form gravel packs for controlling the migration of formation particulates into a wellbore and wellbore production equipment. Gravel packing fluids and methods of sand control operations may also use petroleum coke gravel packing particles composed of fluid coke and/or flexicoke material. Such petroleum coke gravel packing particles may have improved transport into wellbores because of their lower density compared to traditional gravel packing material and may produce fewer fines that can plug gravel packs.

Abstract: A device for automatically launching hockey pucks includes a vertical holder, a throwing arm, a spring, and a base. The vertical holder is configured to hold a plurality of hockey pucks therein. The throwing arm is positioned underneath the vertical holder and configured to rotate. The spring is connected to the rotating throwing arm and configured to accelerate the rotation of the arm so as to launch a hockey puck of the plurality of hockey pucks off of the arm at a rate of 10-40 mph. The base is configured to support the vertical holder, the throwing arm, and the spring such that the hockey puck is launched substantially horizontally.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules as a proppant, methods of forming the hydrocarbon wells, and methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region and a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore and defines a tubular conduit. The hydrocarbon wells also include a plurality of perforations formed within the downhole tubular and a plurality of fractures formed within the subsurface region. The hydrocarbon wells further include the proppant positioned within the plurality of fractures. The proppant includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules, and each crosslinked polymer granule has a characteristic dimension of at least 100 micrometers and at most 2 millimeters.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules as lost circulation material and methods of drilling the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region, a drilling rig, a drilling mud supply system, a lost circulation detection structure, and a lost circulation material supply system that includes a lost circulation material. The lost circulation material includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules, and a characteristic dimension of each crosslinked polymer granule is at least 20 micrometers and at most 1 millimeter. Each crosslinked polymer granule contains a highly crosslinked polymeric material that includes a plurality of polyethylene polymer chains. The methods include rotating a drill string to extend a length of a wellbore and, during the rotating, flowing a drilling mud stream. The methods also include detecting a lost circulation event and, responsive to the detecting, providing a lost circulation material to the wellbore.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing highly crosslinked polymer particulate. The methods include positioning a granular polymeric material within a crosslinking apparatus and crosslinking the granular polymeric material with the crosslinking apparatus to form a highly crosslinked polymeric material. The methods also include forming a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules from the highly crosslinked polymeric material.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules in sand control structures and/or methods of completing the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region and a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore, defines a tubular conduit, and includes a fluid-permeable segment. The hydrocarbon wells also include a sand control structure that is positioned within an annular space that extends between the wellbore and the fluid-permeable segment of the downhole tubular. The sand control structure is configured to restrict migration of formation sands from the subsurface region and into the tubular conduit via the fluid-permeable segment and includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules. The methods include positioning a downhole tubular within a wellbore and providing a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules to an annular space that extends between the wellbore and a fluid-permeable segment of the downhole tubular.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules in sand control structures and/or methods of completing the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region and a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore, defines a tubular conduit, and includes a fluid-permeable segment. The hydrocarbon wells also include a sand control structure that is positioned within an annular space that extends between the wellbore and the fluid-permeable segment of the downhole tubular. The sand control structure is configured to restrict migration of formation sands from the subsurface region and into the tubular conduit via the fluid-permeable segment and includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules. The methods include positioning a downhole tubular within a wellbore and providing a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules to an annular space that extends between the wellbore and a fluid-permeable segment of the downhole tubular.

Abstract: Highly crosslinked polymer particulate and methods of manufacturing highly crosslinked polymer particulate. The highly crosslinked polymer particulate includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules. Each crosslinked polymer granule includes a highly crosslinked polymeric material and a property-modifying filler. The highly crosslinked polymeric material includes a plurality of polyethylene polymer chains and a plurality of chemical crosslinks. The plurality of chemical crosslinks includes chemical crosslinks that covalently bond a given polyethylene polymer chain of the plurality of polyethylene polymer chains to another polyethylene polymer chain of the plurality of polyethylene polymer chains. The property-modifying filler is configured to modify at least one property of the plurality of crosslinked polymer granules. A characteristic dimension of each crosslinked polymer granule of the plurality of crosslinked polymer granules is at least 10 micrometers and at most 5 millimeters.

Abstract: Highly crosslinked polymer particulate. The highly crosslinked polymer particulate includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules. The crosslinked polymer granules include a highly crosslinked polymeric material. A characteristic dimension of each crosslinked polymer granule of the plurality of crosslinked polymer granules is at least 10 micrometers and at most 5 millimeters.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing highly crosslinked polymer particulate. The methods include positioning a granular polymeric material within a crosslinking apparatus and crosslinking the granular polymeric material with the crosslinking apparatus to form a highly crosslinked polymeric material. The methods also include forming a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules from the highly crosslinked polymeric material.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules as a proppant, methods of forming the hydrocarbon wells, and methods of operating the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region and a downhole tubular that extends within the wellbore and defines a tubular conduit. The hydrocarbon wells also include a plurality of perforations formed within the downhole tubular and a plurality of fractures formed within the subsurface region. The hydrocarbon wells further include the proppant positioned within the plurality of fractures. The proppant includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules, and each crosslinked polymer granule has a characteristic dimension of at least 100 micrometers and at most 2 millimeters.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon wells including crosslinked polymer granules as lost circulation material and methods of drilling the hydrocarbon wells. The hydrocarbon wells include a wellbore that extends within a subsurface region, a drilling rig, a drilling mud supply system, a lost circulation detection structure, and a lost circulation material supply system that includes a lost circulation material. The lost circulation material includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules, and a characteristic dimension of each crosslinked polymer granule is at least 20 micrometers and at most 1 millimeter. Each crosslinked polymer granule contains a highly crosslinked polymeric material that includes a plurality of polyethylene polymer chains. The methods include rotating a drill string to extend a length of a wellbore and, during the rotating, flowing a drilling mud stream. The methods also include detecting a lost circulation event and, responsive to the detecting, providing a lost circulation material to the wellbore.

Abstract: A device for automatically launching hockey pucks includes a vertical holder, a throwing arm, a spring, and a base. The vertical holder is configured to hold a plurality of hockey pucks therein. The throwing arm is positioned underneath the vertical holder and configured to rotate. The spring is connected to the rotating throwing arm and configured to accelerate the rotation of the arm so as to launch a hockey puck of the plurality of hockey pucks off of the arm at a rate of 10-40 mph. The base is configured to support the vertical holder, the throwing arm, and the spring such that the hockey puck is launched substantially horizontally.