Patent ID: 7971643

Claim:
A method of hydraulic fracturing a subterranean formation which comprises the steps of: (a) formulating a storable aqueous suspension at a site remote from the site where hydraulic fracturing is to occur, the storable aqueous suspension comprising (1) an ultra lightweight (ULW) proppant having an apparent specific gravity less than or equal to 2.45, wherein the ULW proppant exhibits crush resistance at closure stresses greater than about 1500 psi at downhole in situ conditions and (2) a carrier fluid; wherein the ULW proppant is suspended in the carrier fluid, as a substantially neutrally buoyant particulate, to form the storable aqueous suspension, and further wherein the carrier fluid is either: (i.) a weighted carrier fluid, wherein the apparent specific gravity of the ULW proppant is no greater than 0.25 higher than the apparent specific gravity of the carrier fluid; or (ii.) a weakly gelled carrier fluid which contains either a friction reducing agent in an amount between from about 0 to about 10 pounds per thousand gallons of carrier fluid or has a viscosity of from about 1 to about 20 cps; or (iii.) a combination of (i.) and (ii.); (b) transferring the storable aqueous suspension of step (a) to the site where hydraulic fracturing is to occur and storing the suspension at the site until required for fracturing; (c) diluting the storable suspension of step (b) in-line to a desired concentration; (d) injecting the diluted storable aqueous suspension under pressure into the formation by pumping the diluted storable aqueous suspension through at least one pump at a pressure sufficient to initiate a fracture in the formation.