Higher performance in realistic conditions
Our wide range of high quality, high performance proppant is manufactured to have a low internal pellet porosity, so that it is strong and durable enough to withstand pressure cycling and avoid the creation of fines. That means the proppant will maintain more space to flow for the life of the well.
Industry-proven production performance
A study of production rates published by the Society of Petroleum Engineers has shown that the combination of the strength, uniform size and shape of engineered ceramic proppant provide higher production performance than other types of proppant (SPE 77675).
Numerous case studies and field trials have consistently demonstrated:
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20%+ increase in initial production
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20% + increase in estimated ultimate recovery (EUR)
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Improved rates of return
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Rapid payout on initial investment (often in just weeks or months)
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Lower finding and development costs per BOE for E&P companies
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Accelerated recovery times
Explore our proppant technologies
See our latest proppant technologies and services that were engineered with the E&P in mind, and to overcome issues that can lead to reduced production and recovery, and expensive well servicing.
Client Successes
Optimized fracture program increases production, lowers costs in tight offshore pay zone
Higher conductivity of low-density ceramic proppant helps improve economics of challenging reservoir.
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Engineered completion optimization process increases production and NPV, Bone Springs
Third generation optimized completion design with more contact and conductivity engineered utilizing low-density ceramic proppant delivers higher production and greater economic value.
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Ceramic-enhanced completion improves ROI compared to sand only, Middle Bakken, Williams County
Production and ROI from wells with completions engineered with 47% sand and 53% low-density ceramic proppant outperform comparable sand completed wells. The optimized completion design lowered fracturing costs, while reducing environmental and operational impact.
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Ceramic proppant outperforms sand completed wells in Bakken, Dunn County
Production and ROI from 15 wells engineered with a ceramic proppant completion outperformed comparable sand completed wells. Additionally, the optimized design reduced environmental and operational impact.
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Montney wells completed with ceramic proppant achieve 34% higher production than sand-only completed wells
Combined sand-ceramic completed wells shown to increase production rates, cash flow and accelerate ROI.
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Ceramic proppant tops sand in comparative analysis - Granite Wash
Low-density ceramic proppant increases long-term conductivity over life of well.
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Enhanced productivity in multiphase fracture flow - Eagle Ford
Low-density ceramic proppant increases production rates by 40-60% in the short-term and 13% in the long-term—generating ~$1.5 million additional value per well.
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Increasing short- and long-term dry gas production - Haynesville Shale
Low-density ceramic proppant increases conductivity under hot, high-stress conditions.
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Modeling results increase productivity in multiphase fracture flow - Bakken
Field trial shows low-density ceramic proppant delivers higher conductivity and value than alternatives.
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- Product Specifications
- Case Histories
- Related Resources
CARBOHSP
High-density sintered bauxite proppant Learn More
Ultra-conductive Ceramic Proppant
Featuring KRYPTOSPHERE, the most conductive ceramic proppant for high pressure and high temperature fracture environments. Learn More
CARBOHYDROPROP
CARBOHYDROPROP provides a superior combination of conductivity, ease of placement and cost competitive Learn More
CARBOLITE
CARBOLITE high-performance, low-density ceramic proppant technology that provides the highest fracture conductivity for greater productivity in moderate-depth wells Learn More
CARBOPROP
Intermediate-density ceramic proppant Learn More
ECONOPROP
ECONOPROP low-density ceramic proppant is ideally suited for moderate-depth natural gas wells. Learn More
Title
Location
Modeling results increase productivity in multiphase fracture flow - Bakken
Middle Bakken formation, North Central USA
Field trial shows low-density ceramic proppant delivers higher conductivity and value than alternatives. Learn More
Enhanced productivity in multiphase fracture flow - Eagle Ford
Eagle Ford Shale, South Texas
Low-density ceramic proppant increases production rates by 40-60% in the short-term and 13% in the long-term—generating ~$1.5 million additional value per well. Learn More
Ceramic proppant tops sand in comparative analysis - Granite Wash
Texas, USA
Low-density ceramic proppant increases long-term conductivity over life of well. Learn More
Low-density ceramic proppant elevates production in Niobrara discovery - Piceance basin
Niobrara Shale, Western Colorado
Optimal conductivity improves economics in HPHT well. Learn More
Montney wells completed with ceramic proppant achieve 34% higher production than sand-only completed wells
Middle Bakken formation, USA
Combined sand-ceramic completed wells shown to increase production rates, cash flow and accelerate ROI. Learn More
Optimized fracture program increases production, lowers costs in tight offshore pay zone
North Sea
Higher conductivity of low-density ceramic proppant helps improve economics of challenging reservoir. Learn More
New technology sets IP milestone in deep gas well: Pennsylvania
Greene County, PA
KRYPTOSPHERE LD reduces completion costs while delivering among Utica’s highest flow rates Learn More
Title
Resource Type
Fracture Technologies
Develop integrated solutions to optimize well performance and optimize returns with CARBO's innovative fracture and proppant technologies. Learn More
CARBO Production Enhancement Solutions
Increase your production and optimize your frac with CARBO's production-enhancing technology Learn More
New Technology Yields Ultra-High Strength Proppant
Nearly all of the proppant available on the market today can be classified into one of three tiers – sand, resin-coated sand and ceramic. The products contained in these three tiers have served the industry well and have typically covered the broad spectrum of applications required by completions engineers. Learn More
Ultra-High Strength Proppant Developed for Deep, Offshore Completions
As the industry has moved to the development of deeper reservoirs, drilling and completion equipment have undergone significant upgrades to allow for the successful exploitation of these higher pressure, higher temperature applications. Learn More
Pioneering a New Method to Prevent Scale in Deep Water, High Pressure Reservoirs - A Gulf of Mexico Case Study
Production of hydrocarbons in deep water reservoirs involves the economical flow of hydrocarbons from the reservoir to the point of sale. One important consideration is effectively preventing / handling solid deposits which can be both organic (i.e. paraffin, asphaltenes) and inorganic (i.e. calcite, barite, halite) in nature. Learn More
Ultra-High-Strength Proppant: An Update on Deepwater Applications in the Gulf of Mexico
With the advent of the development of lower Tertiary formations in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, a gap in proppant technology was identified at the beginning of the decade. No existing conventional proppant could provide the required conductivity at the anticipated 15,000 psi (and higher) prevailing closure stress. To meet these challenges a new proppant was developed, with the goal of achieving twice the baseline conductivity of any conventional proppant at 20,000 psi. Learn More
Hydraulic Fracturing Design to Unlock Light Tight Oil Resources in South Oman
Field "A" produces from a mixed-wet formation comprising of fine grained silicilite. The field is a sour light tight oil reservoir with permeability range from 0.001 – 0.1 mD, the only way to flow the existing vertical wells is through hydraulic fracs. Historically the wells have been fracced using water based frac fluids, which have caused severe negative consequences related to well integrity and reduced productivity. Learn More
Twenty Years, One Fracture and the Future of a North Sea Asset
The Andrew asset is a strategic hub for BP in the Central North Sea and has been producing from the Palaeocene oil reservoir for the past twenty-two years through a small fixed platform. Learn More
Julia Case History of the Stimulation and Lower Completion to Meet the 10kpsi Drawdown Tertiary Challenge
The Lower Tertiary Wilcox Julia field is a large resource with low permeability (average 10 mD) and 20 cP in-situ viscosity oil. In order to achieve optimum production rates and ultimate recovery, ultra-high 10,000 psi drawdown is required from a multi-zone fracture stimulated lower completion. Learn More
Sieve Distribution vs Sand Retention: The Impact of Mono-Sieved Gravel on Sand Control
Traditional sand control sizing has typically been based on "standard", wide-sieve gravel distributions (i.e. 20/40, 16/30, etc). Learn More
Far-Field Proppant Detection Using Electromagnetic Methods - Latest Field Results
Over 100 billion lbm of proppant are placed annually in wells across the globe, with the majority in unconventional reservoirs. The location of the proppant in these horizontal wells and formations is critical to understanding reservoir drainage, well spacing and stage spacing. Learn More
A Novel Technique for Determining Screen Failure in Offshore Wells: A GOM Case History
Offshore completions in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) must typically address sand control. Our industry has made significant progress with respect to sand control equipment and implementation. Learn More
Can Proppants Do More Than Hold The Fracture Open?
In the 1940’s experimental fracture treatments were performed without proppant. However in most formations unpropped fractures heal quickly with no sustained benefit, and in 1947 river sand was introduced as proppant. Learn More
Technology Improves Proppant Design
Evolving technologies are enabling oil and gas operators to use proppants that go deeper into fractures and provide superior conductivity, which results in greater yields and cost savings on frac jobs. The American Oil & Gas Reporter, February 2014 Learn More
Hydraulic fracturing proppant: Low-density Ceramics Proppant Boosts Utica Deep Gas Production
CONSOL Energy integrated CARBO's KRYPTOSPHERE LD ultraconductive, low-density ceramic proppant in the completion program of a well targeting the Utica deep gas horizon underlying its existing Marcellus Shale field in Greene County, Pa. Harts E&P, September 2016 Learn More
New proppant technologies deliver cost savings in the GoM
New proppant technologies deliver cost savings in the GoM A combination of high-density proppant and scale inhibitor sees success in Lower Tertiary wells. Hart Energy E&P, July 2017 Learn More
System improves ability to detect location of proppants in reservoir
About 100 billion pounds mass of proppant is used annually in global unconventional reservoirs, with the location of the proppant critical to understanding reservoir drainage, well spacing and stage spacing. However, proppant detection has traditionally been limited to near-wellbore measurements. CARBO has developed a method to detect proppant in the far field, known as QUANTUM quantified propped reservoir volume imaging. Hart Energy E&P, July 2017 Learn More
CARBO engineered robust combination to sustain deepwater flow
CARBO recently engineered a ground-breaking solution for a super major - completing a series of ultra-deepwater wells in the Gulf of Mexico's Lower Tertiary where the economic exploitation of deep, low-permeability reservoirs requires hydraulic fracturing. The downhole environment was ripe for deposition of production-restricting scale, but using generally effective solid inhibitors would sacrifice proppant conductivity. Hart Energy E&P, May 2017 Learn More
Hydraulic fracturing: Key players CARBO Ceramics
CARBO Ceramics has become the largest supplier of ceramic proppants used in fracturing treatments and also sells resin-coated and uncoated white sand proppants. Among its technical achievements in the last year was maximized well production for a Permian Basin operator using low-density ceramic proppants as part of CARBO’s technologies to design, build and optimize the fracturing experience. Hart Energy, November 2014 Learn More
Multifunctional Proppant delivers "Plug-and Play" solutions
Advances in engineering have helped to expand the role of proppants from merely propping the fracture open to performing myriad actions downhole. Harts E&P, September 2016 Learn More
Proppant Pack Delivers Enhanced Flow
FUSION proppant pack consolidation technology creates a bonded, high-integrity proppant pack with or without closure stress. Harts E&P, September 2016 Learn More
Proppant prevents salt precipitation, eliminates freshwater injection costs
SALTGUARD is an encapsulated, porous ceramic proppant infused with halite-inhibiting chemicals that is placed throughout the entire fracture as part of the standard fracturing process. Hart E&P, September 2018 Learn More
Technology applications: Ceramic Proppant
CARBO Ceramics’ KRYPTOSPHERE LD ultraconductive, low-density ceramic proppant technology maximizes hydrocarbon flow for the life of the well. KRYPTOSPHERE LD technology is engineered to have the same characteristics as the company’s previous KRYPTOSPHERE HD technology—monosized with excellent strength, durability, and smoothness—providing high conductivity across the entire range of low- to highstress well conditions. JPT, August 2016 Learn More
Novel Proppant Surface Treatment for Enhanced Performance and Improved Cleanup
The development and testing of a new proppant designed to exhibit a neutrally wet surface that does not have a preferential affinity for oil, gas, or water and therefore will not promote the preferential entrapment of any phase within the proppant pack. JPT, March 2016 Learn More
Getting a Better Look at Propped Fractures
Carbo Ceramics is getting a clearer look at where the proppant goes. The ceramic proppant maker showed much-improved images at this year’s conference (SPE 184880) compared with the ones shown last year, as well as a new set of images showing three stages of a Marcellus gas well. JPT, March 2017 Learn More
Technology Applications November 2017
Fracture-stimulation designs and cost structures are continually evolving in unconventional reservoirs. Consequently, slickwater ftacturing fluids are being deployed more frequently because they cost less, have a reduced impact on proppant pack damage, and have reduced chemical package requirements. JPT, November 2017. Learn More
CARBO Develops FUSION
CARBO has introduced FUSION, a proppant pack consolidation technology for deepwater injection and production wells. Offshore Engineer, September 2016 Learn More
New immobile proppant system bonds without closure stress
CARBO develops a new type of immobile proppant system to bond the highly conductive proppant pack in the formation and the annulus without closure stress. Offshore, September 2018 Learn More
Protection in every way
Joshua Leasure and Jeff Hebert, CARBO, USA, explain how conductive proppant-delivered scale inhibition has been engineered for today's challenges. Oilfield Technology, April 2015. Learn More
Pushing Beyond Propping
An overview of proppant technology capabilities in a range of global oil and gas applications. Oilfield Technology, July 2016 Learn More
Engineering Production Assurance - SCALEGUARD Feature
New proppant-delivered technology platform, designed to prevent reservoir damage and maximize production. Oilfield Technology, July 2017 Learn More
The Scale of the Problem
Joshua Leasure, CARBO, USA, describes a proppant-delivered solution to the widespread problem of scale deposition in the oilfield. Oilfield Technology, July 2018 Learn More
Precision-Engineered Proppants
Don Conkle, CARBO, USA, describes the development of a precision-engineered proppant, KRYPTOSPHERE, and reviews its performance. Oilfield Technology, March 2018 Learn More
A Slick Design for Slickwater Systems
The development of a new proppant technology to enhance the transport capabilities of slickwater fracture fluid systems in hydraulic fracturing applications. Oilfield Technology, September 2017 Learn More
Innovative Thinkers: Don Conkle - Proppant Innovation at Motocross Speed
A low-density proppant solution for slickwater systems
Slickwater systems tend to have low viscosity, which can attribute to difficulty with effectively suspending and transporting proppant in a fracture. Accordingly, a new, low-density proppant has been developed to enhance the transport capability in slickwater fluids and provide increased fracture conductivity. World Oil, September 2018 Learn More
Gravel Pack Technologies Technical Information
Improve gravel pack operational efficiency, completion productivity and pack integrity Learn More
Gravel Pack Technology Solutions
Improve gravel pack operational efficiency, completion productivity and pack integrity Learn More