Proppants (or fracturing sands) are critical materials used in hydraulic fracturing to prop open fractures under high pressure, creating permeable pathways for enhanced oil/gas recovery. Typically made of high-purity quartz sand, ceramic pellets, or resin-coated sand, proppants feature high crush resistance, corrosion tolerance, and low fines generation, ensuring stability in downhole extreme conditions.

Three primary types exist:

• Natural silica sand: Cost-effective for shallow wells with low closure stress
• Ceramic proppant: Sintered for high strength in deep/high-pressure wells
• Resin-coated sand: Prevents flowback and improves conductivity

Key performance metrics include crush resistance (≥52MPa), sphericity (≥0.6), and acid solubility (≤5%), with sizes ranging from 20/40 to 70/140 mesh. The rise of shale gas has driven demand for lightweight high-strength proppants like intermediate-density ceramics (SG 2.7-3.3), balancing suspension and conductivity.

Composition Table：