Proppant testing service

Proppant Testing Service for Global Oil and Gas Markets

As an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory, we deliver a rigorous proppant testing service that verifies the mechanical strength, sphericity, acid solubility, turbidity, and long-term conductivity of fracturing sands and ceramic proppants. Our proppant testing service supports manufacturers, service companies, and exporters who must demonstrate compliance with API RP 19C, ISO 13503-2, and regional well completion standards across the European Union, North America, the Middle East, and Asia. Every test is conducted under our CNAS-accredited quality system, producing reports accepted by notified bodies, oilfield operators, and procurement authorities worldwide.

Product Samples We Regularly Test in Our Proppant Testing Service

• Frac sand and silica sand proppants — from 20/40 to 100 mesh for hydraulic fracturing operations
• Ceramic proppants and sintered bauxite — intermediate and high-strength for deep, high-pressure reservoirs
• Resin-coated proppants — curable and pre-cured for flowback control and enhanced conductivity
• Lightweight and ultra-lightweight proppants — for slickwater treatments and unconventional shale plays
• Gravel pack sand — for sand control completions in unconsolidated formations
• Raw silica and beneficiated sand samples — from quarries and processing plants for quality verification

Physical and Mechanical Property Testing in Our Proppant Testing Service

• Sieve analysis and particle size distribution per API RP 19C and ISO 13503-2 — the proppant sample is passed through a stack of calibrated sieves, and the mass fraction retained on each sieve is measured to verify the proppant meets the specified mesh size and size distribution requirements for fracture conductivity.
• Sphericity and roundness measurement by image analysis per API RP 19C and ISO 13503-2 — a calibrated microscope and image analysis software assess the shape of individual proppant grains against the Krumbein/Sloss chart to confirm the proppant provides the specified conductivity and pack permeability.
• Bulk density, apparent density, and absolute density per API RP 19C and ISO 13503-2 — the mass per unit volume of the proppant in various packing states is measured to calculate the fracture volume required and to predict proppant transport and settling behaviour in fracturing fluid.
• Crush resistance and K-value determination per API RP 19C and ISO 13503-2 — the proppant is loaded in a crush cell under stepwise increasing hydraulic pressure, and the percentage of fines generated at each stress level is measured to determine the K-value, the primary strength classification parameter for proppants.
• Turbidity and fines content per API RP 19C and ISO 13503-2 — the proppant is agitated with deionized water and the turbidity of the resulting suspension is measured to quantify the dust and fine particle loading that could reduce fracture conductivity.

Chemical Analysis and Purity Verification for Proppants

• Acid solubility in hydrochloric-hydrofluoric acid mixture per API RP 19C and ISO 13503-2 — the proppant is digested in a 12% HCl / 3% HF acid solution at 65 °C to simulate contact with formation acidizing treatments, and the percentage mass loss is measured to verify the proppant resists chemical degradation.
• X-ray fluorescence for oxide composition per ASTM E1621 — the silica, alumina, iron oxide, and trace element content of the proppant is quantified to confirm the mineralogy and to predict the proppant's thermal and chemical stability in the downhole environment.
• Loss on ignition and volatile content per ASTM D7348 — the proppant is heated to 1000 °C to determine the content of organic coatings, moisture, and carbonates that could degrade the fracture conductivity at reservoir temperature.
• Mineralogical phase analysis by X-ray diffraction per ASTM D3720 — the crystalline phases present in ceramic proppants are identified to verify the sintering quality and to ensure the absence of free silica in premium grades.

Long-Term Conductivity and Fracture Performance Testing

• Long-term proppant pack conductivity per API RP 19D and ISO 13503-5 — the proppant is loaded into a conductivity cell between simulated fracture faces, subjected to reservoir closure stress and temperature, and the permeability and width of the proppant pack are measured over extended time to generate the conductivity-versus-stress curves required for fracture design.
• Embedment and spalling evaluation under soft rock conditions — the proppant is tested against formation core samples to quantify the penetration of proppant grains into the fracture face and the resulting loss of fracture width and conductivity.
• Flowback and cyclic stress testing per customer and internal protocols — the proppant pack is subjected to repeated stress cycles to simulate production drawdown and shut-in events, with conductivity measured at each stage to predict the long-term stability of the propped fracture under realistic production conditions.
• Resin coating integrity and bonding performance for coated proppants per API RP 19C — the resin-coated proppant is tested for coating uniformity, strip resistance, and bond strength to verify the coating remains intact during pumping and provides effective proppant flowback control after placement.

Report Recognition and ISO/IEC 17025 Compliance

All methods described in this proppant testing service are covered by our ISO/IEC 17025 scope of accreditation. Our test reports are accepted by European notified bodies, by North American and Middle Eastern oilfield operators referencing API and ISO standards, and by customs and regulatory authorities across Australia and Asia. Whether you require a full qualification dossier for a new proppant source, a batch release inspection for an export shipment, or a root cause failure analysis of a fractured well productivity issue, our laboratory provides the measurement accuracy and proppant technology expertise that the global well stimulation industry demands.