Ceramic proppant industry cluster development

In 2013 April, Guiyang city new material industry innovation development action plan (2013-2015 years) proposed draft,to rely on the Guizhou xinyineng, pottery, and other enterprises to accelerate junengda, Xiuwen ceramic proppant industry cluster development,

support for high strength oil fracturing proppant and other special pottery
The development of ceramic materials and products production technology, focus on the development of oil fracturing proppant products.

Ceramic proppants acid resistance

The sintering temperature and fineness of raw materials have influence on the performance of high alumina ceramic proppants, under burning or over burning will cause the acid resistance, crush resistance reduction. The introduction of BaCO3 can significantly improve the performance of acid resistance of ceramic proppant.

  And with the increase of BaCO3 addition, acid resistance, continue to improve, but add too much BaCO3 can cause significant increase of broken rate, should control the amount of BaCO3 within 5.2%.

ceramic proppant structure densification

There is a great relationship between rate of crushing, acid solubility and the sample composition, sintering after the formation of barium feldspar is the main reason for the increase of the acid resistance. To generate a small amount of barium feldspar, can form acid liquid completely through Al2O3 in the intergranular phase protection layer, prompting theceramic proppant structure densification  , increase the acid resistant ceramics.

  When the addition amount of BaCO3 is too high, because the BaCO3 decomposition temperature is too high, the CO2 gas decomposition generated when it is difficult to rule out clean, the porosity increases, the effective area of the load reduction, stress concentration led to crush resistance variation. Therefore, when the amount of BaCO3 increases, celsian acid proof coating production also can increase accordingly, acid resistance will be increased, but the increasing porosity, will make the broken rate increased.

The introduction of BaCO3 can significantly enhance the acid resistance of ceramic proppant

In order to further verify celsian on acid resistance, crush resistance effect, during the test,insulation 3H synthesis of barium feldspar under the temperature of 1560 DEG C with chemicalpure raw materials Al2O3, SiO2, BaCO3, and measurement of acid solubility and its breaking rate,the test results show that, the synthesis of barium feldspar acid resistance is good, the acid solubility of 1.15%, but crush resistance is poor, broken rate under 69MPa > 50%.

  This shows that acid barium feldspar is better, but the impact is very bad, the introduction of BaCO3can significantly enhance the acid resistance of ceramic proppant, but crush resistance will be reduced, industrial production, should control the adding quantity.

Effect of additive BaCO3 on ceramic proppant

During sintering, usually by additive to promote the sintering of ceramics, improve the structure, improve the performance of. During the test, found that the addition of -BaCO3 additive can greatly improve the acid resistance of ceramic proppant.

  Effects of BaCO3 addition on the ceramic proppant performance as follows .

The particle size of raw material on the ceramic proppants

In the sintering process of ceramics, the raw material of the finer particles, surface defects more lattice, more conducive to the increase of the sintering driving force.

  At the same time, a decrease in particle size can shorten the atomic migration and diffusion distance, accelerating the sintering process, thereby improving the compact degree of finished product structure, improving the performance of ceramic proppant.

Effect of sintering temperature on ceramic proppant

The firing temperature refers to the corresponding temperature to obtain the best performance of ceramic blank firing time, namely the firing temperature of fire stop.

  The firing temperature,frac sand direct effects of grain size and liquid phase composition and quantity as well as stomatal morphology and quantity.

  They influence the performance of integrated ceramic proppant. In the experiment, in order to sample 1 standard proportioning, ball milling 24h, respectively, at 1360 C, 1400 C, 1440 C, 1480 C under 1H sintering, thermal insulation,with the furnace natural cooling.

An important standard to measure the quality of the proppant

The apparent density ceramic proppant, acid solubility and broken rate is an important standard to measure the quality of the proppant fracturing fluid density, visual effects, acid solubility and broken rate effects of petroleum, natural gas output, were tested according to the oil and gas industry standard SYT5108-2006.
Apparent density (b) according to the formula, the acid solubility (c) according to the formula, the broken rate is according to the formula (d).

p = m2/V1                               （b）
M2 is the quality of the sample, the unit is g
V1 is the volume of the sample, the unit is cm3
p is density of samples, unit (g/cm3)



S = (m3-m4)/m3×100%                    （c）
m3, M4 as the quality of acid soluble, acid soluble samples before,
The unit is g, S is the acid solubility.

η=m5/m6×100%                          （d）
M5, M6 respectively fragmentation quality samples and proppant samples,
The unit is g, η for broken rate

Ceramsite proppant performance test

The use of omec particle size analyzer (LS-POPIV) size of the test material, Holland 'panalytical production company X Pert type PRO X - ray diffraction phase analysis of samples, the Japanese JSM-6380LV scanning electron microscope (SEM) on the surface morphology of the samples were microscope observation.

  According to the national standard GB/T3810.3 - 1999 test water absorption of ceramic proppant rate (W), press (a) formula.

w = (m1-m0)/m0 ×100%                   （a）

M0, M1 as the quality of samples when dry and immersion after saturation
the unit is g.

Preparation of alumina industry of high alumina ceramic proppant

Study on Preparation of ceramic proppanthigh aluminum alumina industry, there is still no domestic reports. In view of the above situation, the urgent need to develop the domestic high-grade ceramsite proppant yourself.

  In this paper, taking alumina as main raw material, adding proper amount of auxiliary materials, through experiments in the laboratory, system.

  The preparation of high alumina ceramic proppant, research on haydite proppant added the sintering temperature, particle size of raw material, additive -BaCO3
effect of performance.

Ceramsite proppant performance needs

At present, the domestic production of ceramic proppant is with bauxite as main raw material to prepare the products, acid resistance, crush resistance difference.

  The best performance of the blowing ceramsite propping breaking agent under the 69MPa rate was 2% ~ 4%, the acid solubility ranged from 3% to 5%, it is difficult to meet the Tahe oilfield fracturing and acidizing technology requirements.

  For Tahe reservoir UHP reservoir reformation of proppant, are high-grade production using alumina as main raw material,domestic products, temporarily unable to produce, mainly depends on the America imports, the price is quite expensive (about 7500 ~ 15000 yuan / ton, while the cost is less than half of this price).

Ceramsite proppant, production method

ceramic proppant is oil, natural gas extraction in the process of fracturing operation to support the solid particles of rock joints with certain strength.

  During the fracturing operation process, proppant mixed with fracturing, using high pressure means will be injected into the deep rock crevices, forming high permeability channel, so that the oil or gas outflow from the cracks.

  The practice proved that, the use of high aluminum proppant fracturing wells can increase the yield of 30 ~ 50%, the service life can be extended well.

Proppant transfer new technology application

PropelSSP technology can prevent the proppant in low viscosity liquids of settlement.

  PropelSSP polymer conveying system can complete gum breaking, prevent the proppant filling and formation damage.

  PropelSSP can recover 100% of conductivity, and guar gum base fluid due to the relatively clean fracturing fluid of the poor, the flow capacity recovery rate is only about 70%.

  Viscous supporting agent through the low viscosity fluid delivery reduces fluid sweep area.

  Transfer capability of PropelSSP is better than slippery water, which can reduce the pumping time. The volume of fluid required is also reduced, and the additives are needed to reduce the response.

Application of ceramic proppant

In the oil and gas development process, inject the right amount of fracturing support agent not only can improve the permeability of reservoir, but also can increase oil and gas production, improving the development benefit of oil and gas wells.
After the oil fracturing support agent making the injection pump stops, the bottom hole pressure reduction in to more than the closed pressure small, let the oil gas well bore cracks always keep open, along with the development of hydraulic fracturing technology, also produced tremendous change proppant synthetic materials.At present  support agent application is mainly ceramic proppant.

Application Status oil fracturing proppant

Understood fracturing technology is an important means of transformation of oil and gas fields, it is the use of artificial methods to fluid injection rock grassroots pressure to exceed the formation fracture strength, so that cracks around the wellbore rock formation A high-flow capacity of the channel has. In order to maintain the open crack formation after natural gas fracturing oil and gas product can be smoothly through the injection of particulate proppant is one of the important measures.
Fracturing technology for worldwide oil production plays a very important role, and oil is a key oil fracturing proppant fracturing technology can be successful. Quality proppant can play an important role for the extraction of crude oil. Oil fracturing proppant, is to keep the deep fissure formation rock split state support, particle size 0.4-0.9 mm, there is a certain roundness and sphericity. During use, the proppantfracturing sand fluid mixing, the use of coercion injected deep cracks in the rock strata support in order to improve the rate of oil derivative, increase oil production.
The commonly used quartz sand proppant, and a variety of resin coated ceramic composite particles. Which quartz sand cheapest price, relatively low density, to facilitate the construction of pumping, so it is widely used. However, the low intensity of quartz sand, the ball is poor, thereby reducing fracture conductivity, especially not apply to closed high pressure deep. Quartz sand coated with a resin composite particles, the sphericity improved corrosion resistance can be achieved a higher index, even if the internal quartz sand are crushed, the outside may be coated with a resin layer wrapped pieces, holding diversion cracks capacity, is a law of the development direction of fracturing support agent, but the current product shelf life is relatively short, the cost is also high. With a variety of different materials and manufacturing process of ceramic, quartz sand relative density is slightly higher than for the fracturing proppants fluid pumping conditions and are demanding higher performance, increased the difficulty of hydraulic fracturing time, but ceramic ball and roundness of quartz sand than good, can reach more than 0.9, especially corrosion resistance, temperature resistance and compressive strength are higher than the quartz sand, so the fracture conductivity decline rate is much lower. Now has more and more widely used oil and gas fields.

Resurrection of the North Sea

North Sea crude oil was first discovered in the 1970s , that time limit production and OPEC Muslim revolution in Iran , the Iran-Iraq war in the oil tasted the sweetness of the developed countries suffered terribly , then OPEC can be described as the pinnacle in the right state , a resolution in relation to allows European countries into recession.frac sand companies North Sea oil not only for the energy security of the United Kingdom to provide a solid backing , but also for its early and then get out of the economic difficulties provide a boost crude oil pricing . In 1979, oil-related revenue to GDP was as high as 25% , became the bulk of the British government revenue .

But did not last long , as the oil crisis deepens, non-OPEC crude oil production in the mid-1980s began to grow rapidly , Saudi Arabia in 1985 also had to give limited production price policy , oil prices followed the highest level since the 100-year decline, British petroleum to bring benefits also become insignificant . The late 1990s, the pace of European countries to follow the UK , the government canceled the oil market entry ban , the gradual withdrawal of government funding but also the oil market , with the revocation of the Department of Energy , oil and gas industry and gradually joined the " sunset industry " in the ranks .

But time has changed, in fact , as early as last year, the U.S. shale gas revolution effectiveness to attract global attention and help Japan resolve away from Iran, to support European energy fired after the Russian Empire , the British had already can not wait to open hydraulic fracturing  and Hope If the United States can bring energy revolution in general . Over the same period . " Stubborn ," the French guy directly legislate against the hydraulic fracturing , Switzerland and many other countries are not allowed to even test . But this year, the most in love with the new energy in Germany have begun to close hydraulic fracturing , indicating that the British chose to follow the United States from the outset , is a relatively clear-cut decision. But the British apparently no Americans favorable conditions , resource endowments low , immature technology , policy and infrastructure are inadequate, the problem of higher environmental requirements will not be doomed British shale revolution broke out , and that the best way to natural or regression - the North Sea.

In 2011, British Prime Minister Osborne proposed raising taxes on the oil sector £ 2 billion program once shocked the industry , the UK North Sea oil fields to operators levy 62% -81 % marginal tax rate . But over the past two years, clean energy that leads to nowhere , the British government in order to avoid the re-emergence of the North Sea after 20 years of dry Ze and fishing situation, began to pay more to encourage small and medium sized oil companies adopt new technologies to promote the exploitation of oil fields .Proppant The British government has increased the "alternative oilfield " support efforts to make the past can not be commercialized projects eventually commercialized.

China's measures to consider

China to promote shale gas development will encounter "acclimatized." From the "water" point of view, China is a country with severe water scarcity, and promote use of  Hydraulic fracturing  for shale gas development is also bound to be subject to water restrictions. Meanwhile, from the "earth" point of view, the same shale gas production under Ida area is several times more than conventional natural gas, while China's per capita land area in the world, ranked 110 after shale gas development to bring unbearable pressure area .
For shale gas revolution arising from the restructuring and its impact on international energy stage the priority is to clarify the process for me this change challenges and opportunities, timely adjustment related ideas.
On the one hand, from the perspective of sustainable development, but also to emphasize at this stage shale gas development and utilization of long-term perspective. Shale gas is still a one-time consumption of traditional non-renewable resources, to be more rational use. Thus, to meet the basic needs, based on the domestic energy supply and demand in balance to maintain an appropriate course of "hunger", not only helps to promote energy conservation, but also contribute to a "steady" to extend the exploitation of non-renewable resources lives, to achieve sustainable development goals.
On the other hand, increased efforts to develop  shale gas  must be emphasized in order. At present China's energy consumption structure, natural gas accounted for only about 4%. In optimizing China's energy structure of the "feast", the shale gas resources only as a "side dish." At this stage, along with China's dependence on foreign oil supplies rising China in the international market pricing process right to speak relatively weak. Thus,Proppant it is imperative to increase the elasticity of supply of domestic oil, and by accelerating the development of shale gas to reduce dependence on foreign oil is not the top priority at this stage to see more than move.

Dollars or as a "commodity currencies"

And this situation in the near future will probably overturn the traditional financial markets one of the most reliable indicators:Ceramic proppant the dollar and crude oil prices inverse correlation.
Generally speaking, the dollar index positive factor for the price of crude oil is often a negative factor. The U.S. oil boom cycle may change into the traditional theory of financial markets.
With U.S. crude oil and natural gas constant growing,Proppant the market has already been proposed in the future whether the dollar will be like the current Australian dollar, Canadian dollar and the Norwegian krone as a "commodity currencies", the value of the U.S. dollar and crude oil prices showed a positive correlation relationship.
Oppenheimer (Oppenheimer) Fund Portfolio Manager AlessiodeLongis said, "Energy for the U.S. economy is no longer a cost expenditures,unconventional gas but will be a source of profit, but also to promote employment or."
The manager added, "The future of the U.S. or will become a net exporter of energy and we are already seeing from the financial markets, the dollar and oil correlation is waning."

Crude super cycle end

May 23, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke (Ben Bernanke) in the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee was specifically asked if and when it will resume quantitative easing (QE), he said the Fed will start to decrease in the coming months buy programs.Frac sand On the same day the Fed announced the latest meeting showed the Fed is also intense internal debate when it should recover the loose.
According to Buffett previous warning, first issued once the Fed to stop the debt purchase, or start to reduce the balance sheet, in terms of liquidity would be a danger signal.
With the sound of "shots", the world's major stock markets, commodity markets, "shot", fell sharply. Among them, the New York Mercantile Exchange, light sweet crude for July delivery futures on London's ICE Futures Europe exchange in July Brent crude futures for delivery in price declines, respectively, 2% and 1.3%. And since February 2013, the international oil prices continued to fall, Brent oil prices have fallen by 15%.
International oil prices in July 2008 reached 147 U.S. dollars / barrel record high after several twists and turns, ups and downs, both in the 2009 financial crisis led to $ 46 a barrel diving, there are also rebounded in 2012 to $ 128 a barrel. But anyway, before 2008,Proppant international oil prices continued to rise in recent years could not reproduce unilateral.
"2013 will sound the death knell commodity super cycle and to promote the market into the next decade." May 20, in the latest issue Citibank commodities research report, China's economic growth slowed, stocks and interactive commodities weakening U.S. dollar and other factors, marked "commodity super cycle end."
Relative to other commodities, crude oil in addition to the factors mentioned above, a new industrial revolution and energy supply - shale oil, electric cars will accelerate the development of technologies such as the end of its extended period.
On the supply side, the U.S. shale oil and  shale gas  technology development is brewing a new revolution in energy supply. International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted the U.S. will become the world's largest oil-producing countries and to achieve a net exporter of oil, which in turn achieve energy independence. On the demand side, the financial crisis, the world's major developed economies is still not back to normal recovery track, China and other emerging market countries, economic growth has slowed down than before the crisis. In addition to Tesla (Tesla) as the representative of electric cars and other technological advances, then make a structural decline in demand for oil.
Supply and demand is likely to increase in the relative weakness in the background, even in the face of international crude oil prices tend to fluctuate more risk events, and in the long term will be entering a downward cycle.

Safeguards for shale gas exploration

3, the establishment of new mechanisms for shale gas exploration and development

Accelerate the introduction of powerful enterprises to participate shale gas exploration and development,Hydraulic fracturing and promote the diversification of investors. While barriers to entry and qualifications to develop and promote tenements bidding system, block exit mechanism and contract management, substantial increase in the minimum exploration investment, to eliminate "staking" and so on. Oil and gas, coal bed methane exploration and development of mining tenements shall comprehensive range of shale gas resources. Shale gas exploration and development to work with other solid mineral mining, exploration area ready interrelated and coordinated handle overlapping mining rights to ensure safety in production. Engaged in shale gas exploration and development company, after pre-review of the Ministry of Land, by the National Development and Reform Commission reported to the State Council for approval, with experienced foreign companies, Proppantthe introduction of shale gas exploration and development technologies. Shale gas exploration and development to further improve the regulatory mechanism.

4, the implementation of policies to encourage shale gas industry

CBM financial subsidy policy with reference to study the development of shale gas specific subsidy policies; legally acquired shale gas prospecting and mining rights or mining exploration and mining rights the applicant may apply for a waiver in accordance with the relevant provisions of shale gas exploration and mining rights user fees; shale gas exploration and development projects encouraged by the importing country can not be produced under the self-use equipment (including with equipment imported technologies), according to the relevant provisions of customs duties;frac sand companies shale gas prices to implement market pricing; priority land use approval .