FRAC BALLS TESTING. Report Prepared for: Bruce Diamond Corporation. Prepared by: Rapid Design Group Inc. Technical Services Engineer, E.I.T.

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1 FRAC BALLS TESTING Report Prepared for: Bruce Diamond Corporation Prepared by: Rapid Design Group Inc. (Original Signed by) (Original signed by) Mohammad Nauman Technical Services Engineer, E.I.T. Serg Arabsky President, CEO August 14, 212 Nisku, Alberta

2 FRAC BALL TESTING REPORT 1. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this report is to provide a detailed analysis on the pressure test results of Frac Balls provided by Bruce Diamond Corporation. Rapid Design Group Inc. uses its expertise in testing Frac Balls and rating them according to their performance under hydraulic pressures. The Frac Balls are divided into different batches with each batch labeled under different materials. Those batches are further divided into batches of different sizes and thus, compared to the exact same size batch in different materials. And the Frac Balls are rated under size batch which comes under the category of material batch. 1.1 TEST GOALS Frac Balls are tested to determine: 1. Ball Failure/Maximum Pressure in each batch 2. Ball performance at Failure/Maximum Pressure 3. Ball performance at Holding Pressure 4. Back Pressure after the Holding Pressure 5. Pressure rating due to performance 1.2 TERMINOLOGY Failure/Maximum Pressure: The pressure testing equipment is rated to a maximum pressure of 1, psi. Therefore, a Frac Ball is tested until it fails under the hydraulic pressure, Failure Pressure, or until the maximum pressure is attained if it does not fail Ball Failure: Frac Balls are placed in such a way inside the pressure testing equipment that they create a seal on the ball sleeve creating a differential pressure i.e., Pressure is applied on the top side of a Frac Ball while the bottom side is open to atmosphere. A Frac Ball fails if the pressure escapes the seal created by the Frac Ball Holding Pressure: Once a Frac Ball has been tested, another Frac Ball of the same batch is tested until the pressure inside the equipment reaches ~85% of the Failure/Maximum Pressure. The Frac Ball is held at that pressure for 5-1 minutes. 1

3 FRAC BALL TESTING REPORT Back Pressure: Depending upon the material and size of a Frac Ball, some either extrude through the ball sleeve while some crack at the sealing location into 2 halves or break into several smaller pieces. After the Holding Pressure, the equipment is flipped 18 such that the bottom side becomes the top side. Pressure is applied, Back Pressure, in order to determine the pressure required to eject the ball off the ball sleeve. This pressure corresponds to Bottom Hole Pressure, BHP, in the Downhole Completions industry on field. 2. EQUIPMENT 2.1 Ball Batches for Testing: - 3 X ALUMINUM BALLS 2.2 Testing Apparatus: - 3 5/8 Seat - Pressure Testing Unit with ¼ NPT fittings on the end caps - Stand-alone pressure pumping unit - Pressure recording system 3. TESTING PROCEDURE 3.1. Initial Failure/Maximum Pressure Test: - Start pressuring up until 6, psi in a particular orientation and hold for 3 minutes. Do a back pressure test. Open the fixture and check the ball deformation. - Start pressure up until 7, psi in the same direction and hold for 3 minutes. Do a back pressure test. Open the fixture and check the ball deformation. - Start pressure up until 8, psi in the same direction and hold for 3 minutes. Do a back pressure test. Open the fixture and check the ball deformation. - Start pressure up until 9, psi in the same direction and hold for 3 minutes. Do a back pressure test. Open the fixture and check the ball deformation. - Start pressure up until 1, psi in the same direction and hold for 3 minutes. Do a back pressure test. Open the fixture and check the ball deformation. - Record the ball failure/maximum pressure - Take pictures of the tested sample under the sample, test and date caption 2

4 FRAC BALL TESTING REPORT 3.2 Holding Pressure Test: - Use Frac Ball of a sample that has undergone Initial Failure/Maximum Pressure Test - Pressure up to ~85% of the Failure/Maximum Pressure and hold for 5-1 minutes - Record the holding pressure and the pressure drop 3.3 Back Pressure Test: - Flip the fixture 18 such that the bottom side becomes the top side and interchange the fittings - Pressure up to ~85% of the Failure/Maximum Pressure and hold for 5-1 minutes - Record the holding pressure and the pressure drop ALUMINUM Balls - Place the ball dimple facing up on to the seat initially and fill up with water above the ball - Perform Initial Failure/Maximum Pressure Test and Holding Pressure Test in this orientation - Take pictures of the tested sample under the sample, test and date caption - Repeat, Initial Failure/Maximum Pressure Test and Holding Pressure Test at an orientation when the dimple is facing the wall of the seat 3

5 Pressure (psi) 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ALUMINUM BALL Failure/Maximum Pressure 6 ksi Dimple up FRAC BALL TESTING REPORT " 1.86 ALUMINUM BALL 6 KSI - INITIAL PRESSURE :43:53 11:44:38 11:45:23 11:46:9 11:46:55 Time Figure " 1.86 Aluminum Ball - Dimple 6, psi The ball was tested up to 6, psi as per procedure to find out if the ball developed any physical deformation at the sealing location. It can be seen from Figure 2, that the ball did deform and the width is roughly 1/8. This means that the deformation may start even earlier than 6, psi i.e., at ~ <4, psi. Bruce Diamond s consultant mentioned that the deformation starts at 1, psi whereas the test performed at Rapid Design shows otherwise. 4

6 Pressure (psi) FRAC BALL TESTING REPORT Figure " 1.86 Aluminum Ball Dimple 6, psi Back Pressure after 6 ksi Initial Pressure " 1.86 ALUMINUM BALL 6 ksi - BACK PRESSURE Max = 717 psi :51:34 11:51:4 11:51:47 11:51:53 11:52: Time Figure " 1.86 Aluminum Ball 6 ksi Back Pressure 5

7 Pressure (psi) FRAC BALL TESTING REPORT It can be seen from Figure 3 that at 6, psi initial pressure, it took 717 psi for the ball to come off the seat. This is a low back pressure as compared to the initial pressure. Based on the deformation in Figure 2, the ball should be able to roll in any direction with ease Failure/Maximum Pressure 7 ksi Dimple up " 1.86 ALUMINUM BALL 7 ksi - INITIAL PRESSURE :3:3 12:3:48 12:4:6 12:4:24 12:4:42 Time Figure " 1.86 Aluminum Ball (same ball as 6 ksi) Dimple 7, psi It can be seen from Figure 4 that when the same ball was used for the pressure test, pressure could not be build up. Since the ball had already been deformed at 6 ksi pressure test, the ball could not create a seal with the seat. The idea behind these two tests was to find out whether ball would deform at pressure lower than 1, psi. 6

8 Pressure (psi) Failure/Maximum Pressure Dimple up FRAC BALL TESTING REPORT " 1.86 ALUMINUM BALL 1 ksi - INITIAL PRESSURE 1 Max = 9,932 psi :3:42 12:31:5 12:31:27 12:31:5 12:32:13 12:32:35 12:32:58 Time Figure " 1.86 Aluminum Ball Dimple 1, psi Figure " 1.86 Aluminum Ball Reoriented 18 Dimple Up 1, psi 7

9 Pressure (psi) FRAC BALL TESTING REPORT The ball tested in the last 2 tests was reoriented 18 such that it could be tested to a maximum pressure, Figure 6. This is because the untested half of the ball was good enough to be reused, Figure 2. It can be seen from Figure 5, that the ball was tested up to the pressure test fixtures maximum i.e., 1, psi. As far as the performance of the ball is considered, the ball can even be tested to pressures higher than 1, psi. The ball could easily be rated to 1, psi because there are no cracks or breaks on the ball except the ¼ wide deformation ring. If the SG of the ball is significantly lowered while maintaining the performance then the ball would be one of the best Frac balls, considering the orientation and size Back pressure after 1 ksi initial pressure " 1.86 ALUMINUM 1 ksi - BACK PRESSURE Max = 1,357 psi :36:24 12:36:28 12:36:33 12:36:37 12:36:42 12:36:46 Time Figure " 1.86 Aluminum 1 ksi dimple up - Back Pressure The back pressure of 1,375 psi as compared to 1, psi initial pressure is fairly small. This also shows that in this orientation the ball creates a really good seal Failure/Maximum Pressure Dimple on the side When the ball was placed in a position such that the dimple is on the side, pressure could not be built up. This shows that the ball is not as round in this orientation as compared to the dimple up orientation. However, the performance is one of the best as 8

10 FRAC BALL TESTING REPORT far as size and the material pressure relation is concerned. At first it was thought that the seat is deformed but when the ball was placed in the previous orientation; it built pressure. 5. COMPARISON 5.1. Ball Lowest Failure Pressure 12, 1, 3.75" Ball Lowest Failure Pressure (psi) 1,+ 8, 6, 4, 3,84 3,958 3,968 2, Extruded PEEK Controlled G1 BDC injection molded PEEK Figure " Ball Lowest Failure Pressure Chart 1.86 Aluminum The performance of the 1.86 Aluminum ball shows that it surpasses all the previously tested 3.75 balls. 6. CONCLUSION - The aluminum ball performs better than all the previously tested 3.75 balls; 1,+ psi. Also, the SG is in the range with a generic G1 ball. If the SG of the aluminum ball is lowered while maintaining the performance then it d be by far one of the best balls for The ball is less circular when the dimples face the wall of the seat. The ball should have consistent roundness for better performance. 9