Patent AU-2012216777-B2 (AU)
Title: Method for production of proppants
Inventor: MOORE GREGORY JAMES
IPC: B02C19/06
Filed: 2012-02-29
Granted: 2013-11-14
Abstract: (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (10) International Publication Number (43) International Publication Date W O 2012/139151 A1 18 October 2012 (18.10.2012) W I PO I P CT (51) International Patent Classification: (71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): YULEBA C09K8/80 (2006.01) E21B 43/02 (2006.01) MINERALS PTY LTD [AU/AU]; PO Box 49, Yuleba, B02C 17/00 (2006.01) Queensland 4427 (AU). (21) International Application Number: (72) Inventor; and PCT/AU2012/000196 (75) Inventor/Applicant (for US only): MOORE, Gregory (22) International Filing Date: James [AU/AU]; Lot 2, 225 Bridgman Road, Singleton, 29 February 2012 (29.02.2012) New South Wales 2330 (AU). (74) Agent: FRANKE HYLAND; Level 1, 394 Lane Cove (25) Filing Language: English Road, Macquarie Park, New South Wales 2113 (AU). (26) Publication Language: English (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every (30) Priority Data: kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, 2011901418 15 April 2011 (15.04.2011) AU AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, Fl, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP, KR, [Continued on next page] (54) Title: METHOD FOR PRODUCTION OF PROPPANTS (57) Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for producing frac sand, in order to meet size, sphericity and roundness standards, -- 20 from a feedstock such as natural sand. The feedstock is rotated as slurry in a conditioning cell, so that it self abrades to produce frac sand with the required characteristics. - 30 -- - 31 '7 -117-35 W O 20 12/13 9 15 1 A 1l llll||l|lll V lll lll lD Vl||||||||| I||||||||||| l||| l||l|l|||||||||||l| KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, RU, TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, NZ, OM, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, DE, DK, EE, ES, Fl, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, ZW. GA, GN, GQ, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every Published: kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH ' with international search report (Art. 21(3)) GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT International application No. PCT/AU2012/000196 A. CLASSIFICATION OF SUBJECT MATTER Int. Cl. C09K 8/80 (2006.01) B02C 17/00 (2006.01) E21B 43/02 (2006.01) According to International Patent Classification (IPC) or to both national classification and IPC B. FIELDS SEARCHED Minimum documentation searched (classification system followed by classification symbols) Documentation searched other than minimum documentation to the extent that such documents are included in the fields searched Electronic data base consulted during the international search (name of data base and, where practicable, search terms used) EPODOC, WPI USING IPC MARKS (302C17/IC/EC, E21B43/02/LOW/IC/EC, C09K8/80/LOW/IC/EC) AND KEYWORDS (FRAC, SAND, PROPPANT, ROTAT+, MILL+ AND OTHER SIMILAR TERMS); GOOGLE PATENTS AND ESP@CENET USING KEYWORDS (FRAC, SAND, PROPPANT, ROTATE, ABRASION AND OTHER SIMILAR TERMS) C. DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT Category* Citation of document, with indication, Where appropriate, of the relevant passages Relevant to claim No. CA 2739580 Al (UNIMIN CORPORATION, US) 5 August 2010 X Page 12 lines 22-23, page 12 lines 11-17, paragraphs 50-51; figure 1 1-10 Further documents are listed in the continuation of Box C See patent family annex * Special categories of cited documents: "A" document defining the general state of the art which is "T" later document published after the international filing date or priority date and not in not considered to be of particular relevance conflict with the application but cited to understand the principle or theory underlying the invention "E" earlier application or patent but published on or after the "X" document of particular relevance; the claimed invention cannot be considered novel international filing date or cannot be considered to involve an inventive step when the document is taken alone "L" document which may throw doubts on priority claim(s) "Y' document of particular relevance; the claimed invention cannot be considered to or which is cited to establish the publication date of involve an inventive step when the document is combined with one or more other another citation or other special reason (as specified) such documents, such combination being obvious to a person skilled in the art "O" document referring to an oral disclosure, use, exhibition "&" document member of the same patent family or other means "P"31 document published prior to the international filing date but later than the priority date claimed Da Ite of the actual completion of the international search Date of mailing of the international search report 16 May 2012 17 May 2012 Name and mailing address of the ISA/AU Authorized officer AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE GILBERT LIM PO BOX 200, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE E-mail address: pct@ipaustralia.gov.au (ISO 9001 Quality Certified Service) Facsimile No. +612 6283 7999 Telephone No: +612 6283 2597 Form PCT/ISA/2 10 (second sheet) (July 2009) INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT International application No. Information on patent family members PCT/AU2012/000196 . This Annex lists the known "A" publication level patent family members relating to the patent documents cited in the above-mentioned international search report. The Australian Patent Office is in no way liable for these particulars which are merely given for the purpose of information. Patent Document Cited in Patent Family Member Search Report CA 2739580 MX 2010001277 US 2010197532 US 8022019. WO 2010088090 Due to data integration issues this family listing may not include 10 digit Australian applications filed since May 2001. END OF ANNEX Form PCT/ISA/2 10 (patent family annex) (July 2009)