Smart proppant technology for fracking and well production performance monitoring

Abstract

The present invention provides a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing 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 a hydrocarbon from the well, the insert materials being configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well. The functionalized polymer may include a dual-monomer structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A proppant or proppant mixture comprising:
 insert materials configured for providing 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 a hydrocarbon from the well,   the insert materials configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well.   
     
     
         2 . A proppant or proppant mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the functionalized polymer proppants are configured to release a range of different tracer chemical compounds or chemical taggants so as to provide an ability to uniquely identify a given proppant in the well so as to allow the well to be fingerprinted or encoded by zone. 
     
     
         3 . A proppant or proppant mixture according to  claim 2 , wherein the range of different tracer chemical compounds or taggants are configured to release a different chemical compound or taggant in the presence of water being produced from the formations so as to allow detrimental water producing zones to be identified in the well. 
     
     
         4 . A proppant or proppant mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the functionalized polymer comprises a dual-monomer structure. 
     
     
         5 . A proppant or proppant mixture according to  claim 4 , wherein the dual-monomer structure is configured to allow a tracer to be incorporated as a payload or core group. 
     
     
         6 . A proppant or proppant mixture according to  claim 5 , wherein the tracer is configured to be released via a desired external influence, including when coming in contact with water, or other composition of matter having a predetermined pH, or a predetermined hydrocarbon, including oil or natural gas. 
     
     
         7 . A proppant or proppant mixture according to  claim 4 , wherein the dual-monomer structure comprises a core group and end groups. 
     
     
         8 . A proppant or proppant mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the beads are configured as solid materials either made from sand or ceramic materials coated with the functionalized polymer, or made from the functionalized polymer. 
     
     
         9 . A proppant or proppant mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the proppant or proppant mixture is configured to form part of a fracking fluid, including fracking fluid that are gel-based, foam-based or slickwater-based. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus comprising:
 a well configured with fissures or pathways created in formations caused by well fracking to allow a release of a hydrocarbon from the well; and   a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing a mechanical or physical function in the well to hold open the fissures or pathways, the insert materials configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well   
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the functionalized polymer proppants are configured to release a range of different tracer chemical compounds or chemical taggants so as to provide an ability to uniquely identify a given proppant in the well so as to allow the well to be fingerprinted or encoded by zone. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the range of different tracer chemical compounds or taggants are configured to release a different chemical compound or taggant in the presence of water being produced from the formations so as to allow detrimental water producing zones to be identified in the well. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the functionalized polymer comprises a dual-monomer structure. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the dual-monomer structure is configured to allow a tracer to be incorporated as a payload or core group. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the tracer is configured to be released via a desired external influence, including when coming in contact with water, or other composition of matter having a predetermined pH, or a predetermined hydrocarbon, including oil or natural gas. 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the dual-monomer structure comprises a core group and end groups. 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the beads are configured as solid materials either made from sand or ceramic materials coated with the functionalized polymer, or made from the functionalized polymer. 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus comprises a fracking fluid comprising the proppant or proppant mixture, including where the fracking fluid are gel-based, or foam-based, or slickwater-based. 
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one released chemical taggant is carried to the surface of the well in hydrocarbon fluids, including well production fluids. 
     
     
         20 . Apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus comprises sampling equipment configured to sample the hydrocarbon fluids, detect the at least one released chemical taggant, and determine a measure of an efficiency of a given zone in the well. 
     
     
         21 . A fracking fluid, comprising:
 a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing 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 a hydrocarbon from the well,   the insert materials configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well.   
     
     
         22 . A fracking fluid according to  claim 21 , wherein the functionalized polymer proppants are configured to release a range of different tracer chemical compounds or chemical taggants so as to provide an ability to uniquely identify a given proppant in the well so as to allow the well to be fingerprinted or encoded by zone. 
     
     
         23 . A fracking fluid according to  claim 22 , wherein the range of different tracer chemical compounds or taggants are configured to release a different chemical compound or taggant in the presence of water being produced from the formations so as to allow detrimental water producing zones to be identified in the well. 
     
     
         24 . A fracking fluid according to  claim 21 , wherein the functionalized polymer comprises a dual-monomer structure. 
     
     
         25 . A fracking fluid according to  claim 24 , wherein the dual-monomer structure is configured to allow a tracer to be incorporated as a payload or core group. 
     
     
         26 . A fracking fluid according to  claim 25 , wherein the tracer is configured to be released via a desired external influence, including when coming in contact with water, or other composition of matter having a predetermined pH, or a predetermined hydrocarbon, including oil or natural gas. 
     
     
         27 . A fracking fluid according to  claim 24 , wherein the dual-monomer structure comprises a core group and end groups. 
     
     
         28 . A fracking fluid according to  claim 21 , wherein the beads are configured as solid materials either made from sand or ceramic materials coated with the functionalized polymer, or made from the functionalized polymer. 
     
     
         29 . A fracking fluid according to  claim 21 , wherein the fracking fluid is gel-based, or foam-based, or slickwater-based. 
     
     
         30 . A method or process comprising:
 using a proppant or proppant mixture having insert materials configured for providing 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 a hydrocarbon from the well; and   configuring the insert materials at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form functionalized polymer proppants that are configured to respond to the hydrocarbon or other composition of matter released from the well, including water, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the hydrocarbon or the other composition of matter released from the well.   
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein the functionalized polymer proppants are configured to release a range of different tracer chemical compounds or chemical taggants so as to provide an ability to uniquely identify a given proppant in the well so as to allow the well to be fingerprinted or encoded by zone. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein the range of different tracer chemical compounds or taggants are configured to release a different chemical compound or taggant in the presence of water being produced from the formations so as to allow detrimental water producing zones to be identified in the well. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein the functionalized polymer comprises a dual-monomer structure. 
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the dual-monomer structure is configured to allow a tracer to be incorporated as a payload or core group. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein the tracer is configured to be released via a desired external influence, including when coming in contact with water, or other composition of matter having a predetermined pH, or a predetermined hydrocarbon, including oil or natural gas. 
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the dual-monomer structure comprises a core group and end groups. 
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 30 , wherein the beads are configured as solid materials either made from sand or ceramic materials coated with the functionalized polymer, or made from the functionalized polymer. 
     
     
         38 . A functionalized polymer layer or liner for applying to a conduit having a process fluid flowing therein, comprising:
 a layering or liner material configured at least partly with beads having a functionalized polymer so as to form a functionalized polymer layer or liner that is configured to respond to a part of the process fluid, and provide at least one chemical taggant containing an indication about the part of the process fluid.   
     
     
         39 . A functionalized polymer layer or liner according to  claim 38 , wherein the functionalized polymer layer or liner is configured to release a range of different tracer chemical compounds or chemical taggants so as to provide an ability to uniquely identify a given location in the well so as to allow the well to be fingerprinted or encoded by zone. 
     
     
         40 . A functionalized polymer layer or liner according to  claim 39 , wherein the range of different tracer chemical compounds or taggants are configured to release a different chemical compound or taggant in the presence of water being produced from the formations so as to allow detrimental water producing zones to be identified in the well. 
     
     
         41 . A functionalized polymer layer or liner according to  claim 38 , wherein the functionalized polymer comprises a dual-monomer structure. 
     
     
         42 . A functionalized polymer layer or liner according to  claim 41 , wherein the dual-monomer structure is configured to allow a tracer to be incorporated as a payload or core group. 
     
     
         43 . A functionalized polymer layer or liner according to  claim 42 , wherein the tracer is configured to be released via a desired external influence, including when coming in contact with water, or other composition of matter having a predetermined pH, or a predetermined hydrocarbon, including oil or natural gas. 
     
     
         44 . A functionalized polymer layer or liner according to  claim 43 , wherein the dual-monomer structure comprises a core group and end groups.