Clay Stabilizer Testing involves exposing pulverized ash material to a series of mitigation fluids to assess the swelling potential of the clay, which is consequential for pinch off and reservoir plugging. Immersion testing of intact ash specimens is done to determine the breakdown potential of unconfined ash material when exposed to fresh water and a variety of clay mitigation fluids or formulas that are used in the field. Hardness and embedment tests are performed to assess the potential of ash layers and associated clay materials to close and seal proppant filled hydraulic fractures.

Hardness testing is performed before and after exposure to various completions fluid combinations, to quantify the softening of the specimen due to reactivity with water and provide a proxy assessment of proppant embedment susceptibility. Hardness testing results have quite often shown a poor correlation to Capillary Suction Time index, suggesting that the rock fabric plays a significant role in mechanical properties following fluid imbibition.

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