Aqueous slurry for particulates transportation

Abstract

An aqueous slurry composition for use in industries such as petroleum and pipeline industries comprises an aqueous liquid, particulates, a hydrophobizing agent that renders the particulate surface hydrophobic and a hydrophobic polymer. The slurry is produced by rendering the surface of the particulate hydrophobic during or prior to making the slurry. The method and composition can find many applications in different industries, particularly in petroleum industry.

1 . A well service slurry composition comprising:
 a) an aqueous liquid;   b) particulates;   c) one or more hydrophobizing agents; and   d) one or more hydrophobic polymers.   
     
     
         2 . The slurry composition of  claim 1  wherein the one or more hydrophobic polymers is a polyolefin, a styrene polymer, a vinyl polymer, an acrylic polymer, a polyester, or a fluorinated or silyl-modified derivative of a polyolefin, a styrene polymer, a vinyl polymer, an acrylic polymer or a polyester. 
     
     
         3 . The slurry composition of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hydrophobizing agents is an amine hydrophobizing agent. 
     
     
         4 . The slurry composition of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hydrophobizing agents is a silicon or fluorinated hydrophobizing agent. 
     
     
         5 . The slurry composition of  claim 1 , wherein the slurry composition further comprises a frother. 
     
     
         6 . The slurry composition of  claim 1 , wherein the slurry composition further comprises a gas. 
     
     
         7 . The slurry composition of  claim 1 , wherein the slurry composition further comprises an oil. 
     
     
         8 . The slurry composition of  claim 1 , wherein the slurry composition is a fracturing fluid and wherein the particulates are proppants. 
     
     
         9 . The slurry composition of  claim 1 , wherein the particulates are sand proppants. 
     
     
         10 . The slurry composition of  claim 8 , wherein the aqueous liquid is flowback water from a previous fracturing operation. 
     
     
         11 . A method of preparing an aqueous slurry composition comprising the step of mixing an aqueous liquid, particulates, a hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophobizing agent together to form a mixture. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of mixing the particulates and the hydrophobizing agent together before adding the hydrophobic polymer to the mixture. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hydrophobic polymer is a polyolefin, a styrene polymer, a vinyl polymer, an acrylic polymer, a polyester, or a fluorinated or silyl-modified derivative of a polyolefin, a styrene polymer, a vinyl polymer, an acrylic polymer or a polyester. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hydrophobizing agent is an amine hydrophobizing agent. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hydrophobizing agent is a silicon or fluorinated hydrophobizing agent. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of adding a frother to the mixture. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of adding an oil to the mixture. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the step of adding gas to the mixture. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the aqueous slurry composition is a fracturing fluid and wherein the particulates are proppants. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the fracturing fluid is formed simultaneously while it is being pumped into a formation. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the aqueous liquid is flowback water from a previous fracturing operation. 
     
     
         22 . A method of preparing a well service slurry composition comprising the steps of:
 a) contacting particulates with a liquid medium containing a hydrophobizing agent and a hydrophobic polymer, to form treated particulates;   b) separating the treated particulates from the liquid medium; and   c) mixing the treated particulates with an aqueous liquid to form the aqueous slurry composition.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the liquid medium is an aqueous or a non-aqueous medium. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the hydrophobic polymer is a polyolefin, a styrene polymer, a vinyl polymer, an acrylic polymer, a polyester, or a fluorinated or silyl-modified derivative of a polyolefin, a styrene polymer, a vinyl polymer, an acrylic polymer or a polyester. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the hydrophobizing agent is an amine hydrophobizing agent. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the hydrophobizing agent is a silicon or fluorinated hydrophobizing agent. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the step of adding a frother and/or a gas and/or an oil to the aqueous slurry composition. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the aqueous slurry composition is a fracturing fluid and wherein the particulates are proppants. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the aqueous liquid is flowback water from a previous fracturing operation. 
     
     
         30 . A method of preparing the well service slurry composition of  claim 1  comprising the steps of:
 a) contacting particulates with a liquid medium containing a hydrophobizing agent to form treated particulates; 
 b) separating the treated particulates from the liquid medium; and 
 c) mixing the treated particulates with a hydrophobic polymer and an aqueous liquid to form the aqueous slurry composition. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the liquid medium is an aqueous or a non-aqueous medium. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the hydrophobic polymer is a polyolefin, a styrene polymer, a vinyl polymer, an acrylic polymer, a polyester, or a fluorinated or silyl-modified derivative of a polyolefin, a styrene polymer, a vinyl polymer, an acrylic polymer or a polyester. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the hydrophobizing agent is an amine hydrophobizing agent. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the hydrophobizing agent is a silicon or fluorinated hydrophobizing agent. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of adding a frother, and/or a gas and/or an oil to the aqueous slurry composition. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the aqueous slurry composition is a fracturing fluid and wherein the particulates are proppants. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the aqueous liquid is flowback water from a previous fracturing operation.