Ceramsite-Based Graphite Composite Thermally Conductive Proppant: Preparation, Characterization, and Performance Regulation

TL;DR

A new graphite composite proppant is developed to improve thermal conductivity and mechanical performance in coalbed methane reservoirs.

Contribution

A novel ceramsite-based graphite composite proppant is proposed with enhanced thermal and mechanical properties for unconventional reservoirs.

Findings

An optimized composite with 20 wt% graphite achieves 3.8 W/(m·K) thermal conductivity, 6.3 times higher than pure ceramsite.

The composite shows good suspension stability (0.53 suspension ratio) and hydrophobic surface (74.9° contact angle).

A continuous three-phase interface and percolative thermal network are confirmed via microscopic analysis.

Abstract

Coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs are characterized by low permeability and poor methane desorption, which limit recovery rates. To address this, a novel graphite composite thermally conductive proppant is proposed, offering enhanced thermal conductivity and mechanical performance. The composite consists of porous ceramsite as a mechanical scaffold, epoxy resin as an interfacial binder, and graphite as a thermally conductive reinforcement. The effects of graphite content and resin dosage on the composite’s structure, thermal conductivity, suspension stability, surface wettability, and interfacial adhesion are systematically investigated. The results show that an optimized formulation with 20 wt% graphite and 1.0 g epoxy resin achieves a thermal conductivity of 3.8 W/(m·K)—6.3 times that of pure ceramsite—along with an improved thermal response under simulated stimulation, good suspension stability (suspension ratio of 0.53 in 0.2 wt% guar gum solution), a hydrophobic surface (contact angle 74.9°) to mitigate water lockup, and strong interfacial adhesion (125 nN under 2500 nN load) for durable proppant performance. Microscopic analysis confirms the formation of a continuous “resin–graphite–ceramsite” three-phase interface and a percolative thermal conductive network. This study provides a feasible design strategy for high-performance thermally conductive proppants and demonstrates their potential for application in the hydraulic fracturing of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs.

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