Patent ID: 9557254
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: C09K,E21B,G01N

Claim:
1. A method of testing a proppant used in a wellbore comprising: (a) providing a proppant sample testing device that comprises a cylinder containing gas and liquid, a piston in the cylinder separating the gas and the liquid, a ram member selectively moveable in response to pressure changes of the liquid in the cylinder, an oedometer, and monitor coupled with the oedometer; (b) transporting the testing device to a wellsite having a wellbore in which proppant is being disposed; and (c) disposing a sample of the proppant in the proppant sample testing device, subjecting the sample of the proppant to an estimated wellbore environment in the proppant sample testing device; (d) applying stress to the proppant by pressurizing the gas in the cylinder so that the liquid in the cylinder is at the same pressure as the gas in the cylinder; (e) maintaining a magnitude of the stress applied to the proppant at a constant value throughout a compaction phase to smoothly load the proppant to failure; (f) measuring an unconfined compressive strength based on the step of loading the proppant to failure; (g) monitoring properties of the sample of the proppant over time; and (h) determining a cure time of the proppant based on the step of monitoring the tensile strength of the proppant.