Drilling problems such as stuck pipe, tight hole, washout, and sloughing can be related to shale stability. The Capillary Suction Timer (CST) and the Linear Swell Meter (LSM) help determine if specific shales are likely to cause drilling and completion problems.
The RIGCHINA HTHP Linear Swell Meter (LSM) is designed to test and study the reactivity of shales encountered in oil well drilling. The objective is to apply the information to anticipate and/or correct problem shale encounters, thereby minimizing drilling risks and costs caused by these often times unpredictable materials. Much attention has been given over the years to the development of chemical and mechanical tests and to diagnostics methods that can measure the reactivity of shales.