/Electrically Conductive Proppant And Methods For Detecting, Locating And Characterizing The Electrically Conductive Proppant
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.

Full Text

What is claimed is:

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.
Timeline
Filed
06/02/2026
Published
09/24/2026
Granted
Not Available
IPC Codes(8)
C09K 8/80:Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open
C23C 14/06:characterised by the coating material (takes precedence C23C 14/04)
C23C 14/35:by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering