On-Demand In Situ Proppant Generation via Temperature-Induced Solidification of Fracturing Fluid

Heterogeneous proppant distribution can significantly reduce fracture conductivity, thereby lowering the hydrocarbon recovery efficiency. In situ generated proppants (ISPs) allow on-demand proppant placement but still face challenges in achieving precise particle size control due to the complexity of reaction kinetics. To overcome these limitations, this study develops a temperature-triggered solidification fracturing fluid system based on phenolic epoxy vinyl resin. The introduction of a novel solidification regulator (SR) effectively shortens the polymerization time to 4–30 min and improves the sphericity of ISP to ≥0.9. The obtained ISP exhibits ultralow bulk densities, low turbidity, and excellent crush resistance and thermal stability. Furthermore, the aqueous phase enables precise control of the ISP size distribution through interfacial stabilization. This technology overcomes proppant transport limitations and has the potential to enhance fracture conductivity and hydrocarbon recovery.