Method and apparatus for testing gel-based lost circulation materials

A method for determining a mechanical characterization of a gel-based LCM using a compression test rig, the method comprising the steps of:

• placing a gel-based LCM sample volume in a cell space volume of a LCM test cell of the compression test rig, the compression test rig comprising:
• an LCM test cell, the LCM test cell configured to contain the gel-based LCM test sample, the LCM test cell comprising:
• a cylinder wall, the cylinder wall defining the cell space volume, wherein the cell space volume is configured to contain the gel-based LCM test sample, and
• a floor, the floor physically connected to the cylinder wall, the floor defining an extrusion hole, the extrusion hole having an extrusion hole diameter, the extrusion hole configured to extrude the gel-based LCM test sample to create an extruded gel,
• wherein the gel-based LCM sample volume fills the cell space volume to a fill level;
• an extruded gel collector, the extruded gel collector proximate to the floor of the LCM test cell, the extruded gel collector configured to receive the extruded gel from the extrusion hole as an extruded gel volume;
• a perforated disc, the perforated disc in contact with the floor of the LCM test cell and flush with the cylinder wall, the perforated disc comprising perforations,
• wherein the perforated disc is configured to allow the gel-based LCM test sample to pass through the perforations;
• and
• a flat foot disc piston, the flat foot disc piston in flush contact with the cylinder wall of the LCM test cell, the flat foot disc piston configured to compress the gel-based LCM test sample contained in the cell space volume at a displacement speed to produce compression data;
• placing the flat foot disc piston at the fill level in contact with the gel-based sample volume;
• applying a load to the flat foot disc piston to move the flat foot disc toward the floor of the LCM test cell at a displacement speed,
• wherein the flat foot disc compresses the gel-based LCM test sample contained in the cell space volume,
• wherein the gel-based LCM test sample is compressed to a compressed level,
• wherein a measured reactive force is produced in response to being compressed by the flat foot disc piston;
• and
• measuring compression data with an acquisition system, the acquisition system in electronic communication with the LCM test cell, the acquisition system configured to record the compression data, the acquisition system further configured to display the compression data.