Low‐Density Epoxy Resin‐Based In Situ Self‐Generating Proppants With a Low Breakage Rate

Traditional proppants have high density and insufficient strength for deep reservoirs. Epoxy‐based proppants combine low density, good suspension, high‐temperature resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance and are a research focus in oilfield fracturing materials. Here, single‐factor experiments were used to optimize the formulation and process, and performance was evaluated according to SY/T 5108–2014 and SY/T 6302–2019. At emulsifier, curing agent, dispersant A, and dispersant B dosages of 17%, 70%, 0.4%, and 668 ppm, respectively, based on epoxy resin mass, the products exhibited a sorting coefficient of 1.22–2.08, sphericity above 0.9, apparent density of 1.15–1.21 g/cm 3 , and bulk density of 0.34–0.57 g/cm 3 . The sorting coefficient characterizes the entire as‐prepared product, whereas conductivity and breakage were measured using the manually dry‐sieved 20–40 mesh fraction. This fraction showed a breakage rate of 3.32%–4.67% at 69 MPa. Nano‐SiO 2 enhanced conductivity and, under nitrogen, increased the 10% mass‐loss temperature from approximately 211°C to 230°C, indicating delayed thermal degradation. These results support epoxy resin‐based in situ generated proppants as lightweight alternatives for hydraulic fracturing.