US 11,866,646 B2
Smart proppant technology for fracking and well production performance monitoring
Alan D. Kersey, South Glastonbury, CT (US)
Assigned to CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC., Wallingford, CT (US)
Filed by CiDRA Corporate Services Inc., Wallingford, CT (US)
Filed on Jun. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/207,285.
Application 18/207,285 is a division of application No. 17/532,044, filed on Nov. 22, 2021.
Application 17/532,044 is a continuation of application No. 14/759,795, abandoned, previously published as PCT/US2014/010662, filed on Jan. 8, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/750,101, filed on Jan. 8, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2023/0332040 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. C09K 8/80 (2006.01); E21B 43/26 (2006.01); E21B 43/14 (2006.01); E21B 49/08 (2006.01); E21B 43/267 (2006.01); E21B 47/11 (2012.01)
CPC C09K 8/805 (2013.01) [E21B 43/14 (2013.01); E21B 43/26 (2013.01); E21B 43/267 (2013.01); E21B 47/11 (2020.05); E21B 49/08 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
providing a proppant mixture in a well, the proppant mixture having functionalized polymer proppants having mechanical structures configured to provide a mechanical or physical function in a well to hold open fissures or pathways created in formations caused by well fracking to allow a release of fluids from the well, wherein the fluids are hydrocarbons or water, each functionalized polymer proppant including an inner bead having an outer surface with a respective coating made of a functionalized polymer;
responding, by first functionalized polymer proppants with first functionalized polymer coatings of the functionalized polymer proppants, to a hydrocarbon released from the well;
providing, by the first functionalized polymer proppants, a first functionalized polymer as a first chemical taggant or chemical taggant compound containing an indication about the hydrocarbon released from the well;
responding, by second functionalized polymer proppants with second functionalized polymer coatings of the functionalized polymer proppants, to at least a different fluid other than the hydrocarbon released from the well; and
providing, by the second functionalized polymer proppants, a second functionalized polymer as a second chemical taggant or chemical taggant compound containing a corresponding indication about the different fluid released from the well.