System and Method of Assessing a Wellbore Servicing Fluid or a Component Thereof

Abstract

A method of assessing a wellbore servicing fluid or a component thereof comprising providing a plurality of test organisms by introducing at least a portion of a population of the test organisms into a first section of a first fluid vessel, allowing at least a portion of the organisms of less than a first size to pass through a first divider and into a second section of the first fluid vessel, and draining the organisms less than the first size from the first fluid vessel into a fluid receptacle, allowing the organisms less than the first size to mature for a predetermined duration, dividing the matured test organisms into a control group and at least one test group, subjecting the at least one test group to the wellbore servicing fluid or component thereof, and assessing the acceptability of the wellbore servicing fluid or component thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of assessing a wellbore servicing fluid or a component thereof comprising:
 providing a plurality of test organisms, wherein providing the plurality of test organisms comprises:
 introducing at least a portion of a population of the test organisms into a first section of a first fluid vessel, wherein the first section of the first fluid vessel is separated from a second section of the first fluid vessel by a first divider, wherein the first divider is configured to retain an organism of at least a first size and to allow passage of an organism less than the first size; 
 allowing at least a portion of the organisms of a size less than the first size to pass through the first divider and into the second section of the first fluid vessel; and 
 draining the at least a portion of the organisms of the size less than the first size from the first fluid vessel into a fluid receptacle; 
   allowing the at least a portion of the organisms of a size less than the first size to mature for a predetermined duration;   dividing the matured test organisms into a control group and at least one test group;   subjecting the at least one test group to the wellbore servicing fluid or component thereof; and   assessing the acceptability of the wellbore servicing fluid or component thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined duration is from about 18 days to about 24 days. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined duration is about 21 days. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the divider comprises a mesh having openings of from about 80 microns to about 100 microns. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the divider comprises a mesh having openings of about 90 microns. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid vessel is configured to fluidly drain via common point. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid vessel is configured as an inverted cone. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid vessel is configured as an inverted pyramid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first tub is positioned at a height greater than the height at which the fluid receptacle is positioned. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid vessel further comprises a valve and a flow conduit in fluid communication with the fluid receptacle, wherein the portion of the organisms of less than the first size are allowed to flow out of the first fluid vessel and into the fluid receptacle via the valve and the flow conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the divider is oriented substantially horizontally. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first section is at least partially above the second section. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test organisms are introduced within an aquatic solution. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises a salinity of about 29-36%. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one test group comprises at least two test groups, wherein, in each of the at least two test groups, the test organisms are subjected to the wellbore servicing fluid or component thereof at varying concentrations. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one test group comprises at least two test groups, wherein, in each of the at least two test groups, the test organisms are subjected to a different component of the wellbore servicing fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the test organism comprises a member of the genus  Acartia.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the organisms of the size less than the first size comprise eggs of the test organisms. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an adult life stage of the test organism is not capable of passing through the divider. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wellbore servicing fluid or a component thereof comprises a drilling fluid, a perforating fluid, a fracturing fluid, an acidizing fluid, a cementitious composition, or a component thereof.