The development of the Fluid Rock Interaction Laboratory (FRIL) was motivated by operators wanting to couple the geomechanical response of a core sample to fluid contact. For example, under a specific stress state, an acid may be injected into a sandstone to remove near wellbore damage and may weaken the rock. Being able to evaluate structural changes as well as injection/production behaviour of the core, simultaneously, is the key driver behind this.

FracTech now has the capability to run core flood tests on samples under a wide range of conditions. Example studies include:

• ◈ Optimization of a drilling mud to form an effective bridge and achieve acceptable return production permeability
• ◈ Evaluation of breaker squeezes in injection wells to break down filter cakes
• ◈ Completion brines with screen/gravel pack placement
• ◈ In-house QAQC of drilling muds prior to testing
• ◈ Long term Injectivity of produced water, sea water injection, surface and deep filtration

Equipment

Three core flood test rigs to 5000psi, 150C

Hastelloy components for acid handling (including HF)

Real time bulk compressibility measurements to assess porosity changes (soft chalks for example)

Fann 35 for YP, PV

HPHT filter press

Grace rheometers

High shear mud mixing equipment with hot oven rolling

Low shear solids addition safe mixing