Novel Methods and Test Fixtures for Comprehensive Evaluation and Characterization of LCM Products

Characterization, testing and evaluation of LCM products are very important for successful treatment of loss circulation problems. However, due to the lack of suitable API and any other industry methods and test apparatus that are applicable for characterization, testing and evaluation of various LCM products, the industry are facing difficulties in comprehensive characterization, testing and evaluation of LCM products. Hence, the industry needs fit-for-purpose methods and devices to fill up the industry gaps and overcome the technical limitations of current measurement systems. This paper describes several new methods and test devices for comprehensive characterization and evaluation of the stiffness characteristics of gel-based LCMs, attrition resistance of particulate LCM products, physical simulation and evaluation of sealing and blocking efficiency in fractured, super-K and vugular loss zones containing converging, diverging and parallel front fracture profiles. Experimental results provided by the characterization tools and various loss zone simulating test set up indicate the suitability of these tools and the apparatus in predicting the LCM Characteristics along with the sealing and plugging efficiency. Due to better simulation of various loss zone characteristic features, the newly developed test apparatus and the methods provide reliable technical guidelines to improve the probability and likelihood of success a LCM treatment job. The simple, easy to operate, reliable tools and methods described in this paper will help in overcoming the difficulties and limitations of testing and evaluation of LCM products to select the superior and reject the inferior.