Laboratory Rock Mechanics Testing &

Applications in Petroleum Geomechanics

Dr Chee Tan
Middle East-Asia Geomechanics Advisor
1 CTan
Kuala Lumpur Deepwater Technology Hub
 Experimental Rock Mechanics
Petroleum geomechanics is heavily dependent on
experiment
… routinely involve measurements of
• Deformation & strength characteristics
• Pore pressure response under un-drained loading
• Porosity and bulk volume changes
• Fluid transport characteristics
• Influences of temperature, effective stress path etc
… and measurements of
• Ultrasonic velocities
• Acoustic emission

2 CTan
 Common Rock Mechanics Tests
• Unconfined compression test ⇒ Unconfined compressive
strength and elastic properties
• Single/Multi-stage triaxial test ⇒ Confined elastic and
strength properties
• Uniaxial strain compaction / pore volume compressibility
test ⇒ Coefficient of uniaxial compaction and depletion
constant
• Porosity and permeability measurements at in-situ stress
conditions
• Thick-walled cylinder test ⇒ Cylinder collapse pressure
• Laser particle size analysis ⇒ Solid particle size distribution
Kuala Lumpur TerraTek Rock
Mechanics Laboratory
3 CTan
 Unconfined Compression Test

50

5
M e a n d ia m e tra l s tra in (m s tr)
40

4
A x ia l s tre s s (M P a )
30
Well

3
pressure
20

2
10 No produced fluids
Just fluids

1
?
0

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 ?
Axial strain (mstr)
? Fluids & solids
Axial stress Mean diametral strain

Reservoir pressure
• Static Young’s modulus (E) @ σ3‘ = 0
• Static Poisson’s ratio (v) @ σ3‘ = 0
• Unconfined yield strength (σY)
• Unconfined compressive strength (UCS)

4 CTan
 Triaxial Test
Conventional Triaxial Compression
• Lateral stresses are σ2=σ3
• Axial stress σ1 is increased
Triaxial Cell
σ1

Platen LVDT

Radial
σ3 gauge

Pore
pressure
port
Platen
Load
Cell

Coupled Ultrasonic-Triaxial Testing

• Vp & Vs under confinement, deviatoric stress & different saturation
5 CTan
 Increasing
Axial deviator confinement
stress (σ1-σ3)

Curved
failure envelope
Shear
stress

Normal stress

Data obtained Axial strain

• Triaxial yield strength (σY)
• Peak strength
• Residual strength (σR)
• Static Young’s modulus (E) at confinement (& dynamic)
• Static Poisson’s ratio (v) at confinement (& dynamic)
6 CTan
 Multi-Stage Triaxial Compression
25

20

Confining stress, MPa

15

10

0
0 5 10 15 20
Axial strain, millistrain

7 CTan
 Core Scratch Test
• Continuous measurements of
rock strength (UCS)
• Quantitative assessment of rock
heterogeneity (fractures,
bedding and regions of
weakness)
• Test sample selection
• Improved log-based strength
predictions

8 CTan
 Reservoir sandstone exhibiting
• Section of uniform strength
(left)
• An open fracture
• Laminated section with
considerable strength
heterogeneity (right)

Example of shale core

9 CTan
 Uniaxial Strain Compaction / PVC Test
Effects of Reservoir Depletion
σV
σV = constant

Pp Pp-
σh ∆pp
Depletion
σV = constant

σh - ∆ σh
Pp-
∆pp
10 CTan
 Pore Pressure Reduction Method
• Reduce pore pressure
• σaxial is constant
• σlateral adjusted so εlateral = 0
σ1

Platen LVDT

Radial
σ3 gauge

Pore
pressure
port
Platen
Load
Cell
Platen

11 CTan
 εv 1 − ν − 2ν 2 1 + ν 1 − 2ν 1 + ν Cb
Cm = = = =
∆PP (1 − ν )E 1 − ν E 1 −ν 3

12 CTan
Uniaxial Strain Compaction and Petrophysical Property Data

13 CTan
 Thick-Walled Cylinder Test
σ3
Platen

Sample OD:ID = 3

Pressurize at 1MPa/min. Sample
σ3

Central hole kept at zero
Sleeve
pressure

Failure detects with external
radial gauges

14 CTan
 TWC TESTS ON SAND AND LAMINATE SAMPLES
(Well: 15-2-RD-14x)

0.5

0
JV66
JV37

Radial Deformation (mm) -0.5

-1
JV50
-1.5 JV67 JV35

-2
JV42
(Laminate)
-2.5

-3

-3.5

-4
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Cell Pressure (MPa)

15 CTan
 Tensile Strength Measurement
Brazil indirect
Cylinder tensile test
Direct rupture
tensile test
test

16 CTan
 Laser Particle Size Analysis

17 CTan
 Thank You
Any Further Questions

18 CTan