Ch 5.

Pore Pressures and

Fracture Pressures
Terminology - Formation Pore
Pressures
• Pore Pressure
• P-Z Diagrams
• Pore Pressure Gradient
• Overbalance
• Underbalance
• Normal Pressure Gradient
• Abnormal Pressures
Pore Pressure Profiles
Overbalance
Typical Pressures
Normal Pressures
Overpressure
Underpressure
Importance of Pore Pressures
• Underbalance
• Borehole Collapse
• Influx

• Overbalance
• Low ROP
• Formation Fracture
• Differential Sticking
Origin of Overpressure
• Overpressure
• Incomplete Sediment Compaction
• Faulting
• Phase Changes
• Massive Rocksalt Deposition
• Salt Diaperism
• Tectonic Compression
• Repressuring
• Hydrocarbon Generation
Origin of Subnormal Pressures
• Sub normal Pressure
• Thermal Expansion
• Formation Foreshortening
• Depletion
• Precipitation
• Potentiometric Surface
• Epeirogenic Movements
Uncompacted
Sands
Formation Foreshortening
Piezometric Surface
Acquifers
Pore Pressures
Abnormally Pressured Sands
Transition Zone

• Shale Caprock
• Salt Caprock
Transition
Zones
Prediction and Detection of Abnormal
Pressures
• Predictive Techniques
• Geophysical Techniques
• Offset Data

• Detection Techniques
• Drilling Parameters
• Drilling Mid
• Drilled Cuttings
Overpressure
Prediction/
Detection
 ‘d’
Exponent
 ‘d’
Exponent
Flowline Temperature
Bulk Density
Resistivity
Fracture Pressure
Formation Fracture Pressure

• Mechanism of Breakdown
• Leak-off Test/Limit Test
• Procedure
• Maximum Mudweight
• Maximum ECD
• MAASP
• Calculating Fracture Pressure
Leak Off Test
Fracture Test
Leak Off Test
Limit Test
Mechanism of Breakdown
Leak Off Test
Regional Faulting
Poissons
Ratio
HPHT
Wells
LOT Exercise