Advancements in diversion technology in recent years have made horizontal, multistage fracturing more reliable. Diversion treatments help generate and maintain complexity within generated fracture networks and can lead to more thorough reservoir stimulation. This facilitates maximized stimulation volumes and, potentially, increased production. With industry accepted benefits of the method, diversion technologies have been applied in both primary and refracturing operations. Even with broad adoption of fluid diversion techniques, limited reports of dynamic testing of diversion processes or chemicals under laboratory conditions exist. This paper describes a laboratory testing apparatus designed to dynamically probe the underlying mechanistic and chemical variables that influence near wellbore diversion against a consolidated proppant pack. This apparatus allows some of the critical parameters of diversion to be evaluated independently. In this study, early steps were taken to gain some understanding of the contributing parameters, such as diverter concentration, temperature, and pressure, and how they may influence diverter effectiveness. The laboratory setup in this study aims to conceptualize near wellbore diversion against a consolidated proppant pack with the ultimate goal of expanding the methodology to simulate real-life operation of a diversion treatment on fractures. This apparatus can help determine effects of chemical components and size distribution during successful diversion placement. In addition, some of the effects of temperature, pressure, and flow rates on diversion operations are presented. This dynamic study of diverters provided more insight into understanding factors that affect diversion, and provided data that can help optimize future diversion treatments. It is widely acknowledged that diversion technology has significant impact in fracturing applications. By initiating the development of a viable lab scale apparatus for diversion chemical testing, greater understanding of how to implement optimized chemical formulations and engineering methods for more effective fluid diversion operations can be gained.

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The manufacturing process of oilfield cement is one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions. Thus, finding sustainable alternative materials has become the main focus globally. Geopolymers are low carbon cement alternatives that have been used in the construction industry for many years, yet their applicability for oil and gas wells remains unproven. For geopolymers to be successfully implemented in the oilfield industry, a customization of the formulation is critical to eliminate logistical constraints and ensure compatibility with oilfield pumping equipment. Geopolymers are typically prepared with liquid alkaline activators, which render them impractical for onshore applications due to the complicated logistics of transporting liquids to a wellsite. Dry blending of the various components and handling constraints is an important condition for field use. A comprehensive lab study of geopolymer activator and functional additives was conducted. In the end, unique chemistries were identified that are compatible with dry blending and continuous live mixing for field application. A key focus was given to achieving parameters needed from operations, and compliance perceptive, and those which are comparable to the oilfield cements currently in use. Introducing an innovative geopolymer solid activator package enables mixing and pumping of geopolymer slurries without any modification of the current equipment or the job execution method and eliminate the need to handle corrosive liquids. After extensive lab studies, mixability, and pumpability of the newly designed geopolymer system was validated via yard trials. The current work has opened new avenues to make geopolymers adaptable to cementing land equipment while meeting the requirements needed to sustain performance under well conditions. This is a step change toward field deployment of a sustainable well integrity technology.

It is often argued that the British education system is failing the nation'. What new project can go wrong when its first press release starts off like this? The particular failure to come under the microscope this time is that of industry's influence on education. The Open University project to research this is funded by the Leverhulme Trust and is planned to last three years.Those concerned admit that industry has come

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