XRT™ Ceramax™ Proppants
When high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) wells are drilled, ceramic proppants are often used. However, uncoated ceramics can be impacted when exposed to these harsh well conditions. These issues can include lower conductivity due to proppant fines generation and migration, abrasive proppant flowback, and a reduction in proppant pack strength from cyclic stress changes that occur during the life of the well.
Conventional resin coated ceramics are designed to address these issues; however their performance can be impacted under elevated pressure, temperature, and extended pump times. Hexion developed its patented XRT™ Ceramax™ proppant product line to perform under the harshest HPHT well conditions.
Case Study: Operator Eliminates Proppant Flowback
A South Texas operator experienced severe proppant flowback and disappointing production results after pumping both conventional resin coated proppants and “on-the-fly” liquid resin systems. This caused the operator to keep flowback equipment onsite to reduce damage to surface production equipment. It also led to costly wellbore clean-outs with coiled tubing. Switching to XRT Ceramax proppants eliminated proppant flowback and provided increased production results from these HPHT wells.
XRT Ceramax P Proppants
Hexion’s XRT Ceramax P proppants are designed to be the highest strength proppants available. Use of the XRT resin system to encase a high density bauxite has yielded a proppant with high flow capacity and resistance to cyclic stress.
This high-strength proppant offers higher near wellbore conductivity compared to uncoated bauxite. It can be utilized at closure stress greater than 14,000 psi (conductivity testing was only conducted up to 14,000 psi). It helps prevent proppant flowback, even under severe stress cycling.
XRT Ceramax V Proppants
Our XRT Ceramax V proppants are a multi-purpose proppant that can be used in a wide variety of field applications. Use of the XRT resin system to encase an intermediate density ceramic has yielded a proppant with high conductivity and resistance to cyclic stress.
This intermediate density ceramic proppant can be utilized at closure stress up to 14,000 psi. It also helps prevent proppant flowback and increases near wellbore conductivity over uncoated ceramics.
XRT Ceramax E Proppants
XRT Ceramax E proppants are a cost-effective solution available in a 20/40 mesh size. The XRT resin system is used to encase an economy ceramic that can be utilized in a broad range of field applications. This has yielded a proppant with high conductivity and resistance to cyclic stress.
This lightweight ceramic is effective at closure stress up to 12,000 psi. It also helps prevent proppant flowback and increases near wellbore conductivity over uncoated ceramics.
Read the XRT Ceramax proppant case histories on eliminating proppant flowback and providing quick load recovery.
