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Proppants

Oceanit's Neutral Buoyancy Proppant (NBP) improves proppant transport to enable flow without settling
Slot test results for untreated silica sand proppant and Oceanit’s neutrally buoyant proppant (NBP). Untreated proppant settles quickly to the bottom of the slot channel, while NBP's neutrally buoyant properties carry the proppant through the length of the slot channel.
Vials with Oceanit's neutrally-buoyant proppant on the right and untreated brown sand on the left.

Unconventional hydraulic fracturing in the global market has been on the rise for the past several years. However, one of the main challenge of using proppant to stimulate wells outside of the continental US is the lack of a suitable domestic proppant supply. Import of silica, resin coated or ceramic proppants, is cost prohibitive, and adds a logistical burden to the entire operation.

To improve proppant transport, Oceanit developed NBP using a novel technology to effectively modify the proppant to achieve neutral buoyancy in low viscosity fluids. This gives the proppant the ability to maintain suspension in the fracturing fluids (slick water) and also travel deeper into the fractures without settling. With less proppant settling and greater distribution in the fracture sites, NBP economically increases production.

  • Enhanced proppant transport deep into the fractures with minimal settling increases stimulated reservoir volume
  • Higher proppant pack conductivity at high formation pressures for increased production
  • Reduced amount of proppant needed to completely fill the features compared to silica sand
  • Minimizes usage of fracturing fluid additives, like gaur, crosslinkers, and friction reducers, for pumping proppant through the fractures