Research progress and prospects of self-suspending proppants
- Vol. 16, Issue 2, Pages: 469-478(2026)
Received:14 November 2024,
Published:26 March 2026
DOI: 10.13809/j.cnki.cn32-1825/te.2024543
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Received:14 November 2024,
Published:26 March 2026
移动端阅览
自悬浮支撑剂是一种新型材料,用于解决传统支撑剂在水力压裂中沉降快、分布不均、裂缝支撑效果差等问题。通过特殊的设计与制备技术,自悬浮支撑剂能够在低黏度流体中保持悬浮性,提高自身在裂缝中的均匀分布程度和导流能力,从而显著提升油气井产量并减少储层损害。根据自悬浮机理,可将自悬浮支撑剂分为3种类型:气体自悬浮、密度自悬浮和表面自悬浮。通过对自悬浮支撑剂制备技术的综述,包括支撑剂表面改性技术、低密度支撑剂制备技术和功能性涂层技术,总结自悬浮支撑剂的现场应用效果,并分析其在绿色高效开采中的应用前景。研究表明,自悬浮支撑剂不仅能够提升压裂效果,在不同油气田中使用自悬浮支撑剂可以显著提升油气产量,日产量或累计产量增长幅度可达2~7倍。将自悬浮支撑剂应用于油气开采能减少水资源和稠化剂的使用,还能降低环境污染,符合绿色循环经济理念。尽管目前面临成本和技术复杂性等挑战,但在自悬浮支撑剂依然表现出较佳的油气增产效果。未来的研究和开发应聚焦于以下几个关键领域以实现自悬浮支撑剂的广泛应用:首先,提升材料的稳定性和环境适应性,确保在极端条件下的可靠性;其次,通过优化制备过程和原材料的使用,降低自悬浮支撑剂的生产成本;再次,开展长期性能评估,确保支撑剂在长期应用中的效果持续稳定;最后,开发具备多功能性的自悬浮支撑剂,如具有防腐蚀、增加裂缝复杂性或改善油气流动性的新型支撑剂。通过这些创新的研究和技术进步,自悬浮支撑剂有望在未来油气田开发中发挥更大的作用,为油气增产和环境保护贡献力量。
Self-suspending proppants are innovative materials designed to address the limitations of conventional proppants in hydraulic fracturing
including rapid settling
uneven distribution
and poor fracture support. Through specialized design and preparation techniques
self-suspending proppants maintain their suspension in low-viscosity fluids
thereby enhancing their uniform distribution and fracture conductivity. Consequently
they significantly improve oil and gas well productivity while reducing reservoir damage. Based on the self-suspension mechanisms
self-suspending proppants are classified into three types: gas-assisted
density-controlled
and surface-modified self-suspending proppants. This review summarizes the preparation techniques for self-suspending proppants
including surface modification techniques
low-density proppant preparation methods
and functional coating technologies. The field application performance of self-suspending proppants is reviewed
and their prospects for green and efficient oil and gas exploitation are analyzed. Existing studies demonstrate that self-suspending proppants significantly enhance fracturing performance. Field applications in various oil and gas reservoirs show that using self-suspending proppants increases daily or cumulative production by approximately 2 to 7 times. Moreover
the application of self-suspending proppants in oil and gas development reduces the consumption of water and thickening agents
mitigates environmental pollution
and aligns with the principles of a green and circular economy. Despite the challenges of production costs and technological complexity
self-suspending proppants exhibit superior stimulation performance and significant production enhancement potential. Future research and development should focus on several key aspects to promote the widespread application of self-suspending proppants: first
improving material stability and environmental adaptability to ensure reliable performance under extreme conditions; second
reducing production costs of self-suspending proppants by optimizing preparation processes and raw material utilization; third
conducting long-term performance evaluation to ensure the sustained effectiveness of the proppants during extended field applications; and finally
developing multifunctional self-suspending proppants with additional capabilities
such as corrosion resistance
enhanced fracture complexity
or improved oil and gas flow behavior. Through continuous innovation and technological advancement
self-suspending proppants are expected to play an increasingly important role in future oil and gas field development
contributing to both oil and gas production enhancement and environmental protection.
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