QI) What is MEM? Why is it important for petroleum? List all applications of MEM in petroleum well construction operations?What is MEM? Mechanical Earth Modeling: * AMEM is a model of the mechanical state of a region of the earth (e.g. a geologic structure of a hydrocarbon reservoir) including the geometry, material properties, fluid pressures, stress state and failure criteria. * This data volume is used to describe the mechanical state and is obtained from sources such as well logs, seismic interpretation and inversions, well tests, rock mechanical core tests, and numerical models.Engineers use MEMS to understand past experiences and identify the root causes of unexpected events such as early water breakthrough or drilling fluid loss. Drilling and completion engineers can take lessons leamed from MEMSs to plan future operations that are more efficient and safer than they would be without this information. ‘They can assess the consequences of geomechanical effects for various scenarios of oilfield operations as a function of the development plan or design parameters. Well engineers can conduct wellbore stability analyses to decide well orientation, casing architecture and drilling mud properties such as density. Stimulation engineers can select perforation intervals for hydraulic fracturing based on the stress profile along wellbores to improve reservoir contact and ensure fracture containment.Why MEM? — Common applications Drilling: Geomechanics: * Wellbore stability * Compaction and subsidence * Well path design © Permeability degradation * Fracture gradient © Coupled simulations * Salt creep ¢ Well location and spacing for fractured reservoirs Completions * Fault reactivation risk © Hydraulic fracture design * Sanding prediction and analysis * Oriented perforations * Secondary recovery Exploration & Production: © Top and fault seal analysis * Structural evolution © Salt body emplacement