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Drilling Overpressure
Drilling Overpressure
Bicentre
Pressures at Depth
~10 MPa
pressure (MPa)
Underpressured case:
underpressure ratio = p/
(wgz), a value less than 0.95
underpressure
depth
overpressure
Overpressured case:
overpressure ratio = p/(wgz),
a value greater than 1.2
Normally pressured range:
0.95 < p(norm) < 1.2
Some Definitions
2.0
16.7 ppg
1
po
hmin
thick shale
sequence
po
4
Target A
5
Target B
Target C
depth - kilometres
Typically, po is close to
hydrostatic in the upper
region
hmin is close to v in
shallow muds, soft
shale, but lower in stiff
competent deeper shale
A sharp transition zone
is common (200-600 m)
The OP zone may be 2-3
km thick
A stress reversion zone
may exist below OP
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.0
porosity
sands &
sandstones
mud
clay
mudstone
Anomalously high
, low vP, vS, and
other properties
may indicate OP
shale
4-8 km
effect of OP
on porosity
depth
+T
slate (deep)
Permeability k Darcies
1
Muds and
Shales
Depth z 1000s ft
10
15
20
25
Abnormal po Causes
Compaction =
H2O expelled to sand
bodies, especially
from swelling clays
Diagenesis
Illite
Kaolinite
Chlorite
Mud, clays
H2H020
Sand
Shale
0-2000 m
H20
2000-4000 m
Sandstone
4000-6000 m
+ Free H2O
+ SiO2
Compaction and
Clay Diagenesis
3-10 km
Artesian charging is
usually shallow only
20-100 km
Artesian charging
Thrusting can lead
to some OP
+T = +V of H2O: thermal
expansion at depth
Offshore: Trapping of OP
Listric faults on continental margins lead to
isolated fault blocks, good seals, high OP in the
isolated sand bodies from shale compaction
down-to-the-sea or listric faults
sea
stress
v
h
po
shale
slip planes
shale
depth
Stress reversion zone
HC Generation and OP
v
shale
T, p,
increase
Semi-solid
organics, kerogen,
po < h < v
kerogen
microfissure
fluid
flow
HCs generated
in organic shales
high T, p,
sands
oil and gas
generation of hydrocarbon fluids
po = h < v,
Fractures develop
and grow
Pressured fluids are
expelled through the
fracture network, po
stored in OP sands
gas cap
effect
oil, density
= 0.75-0.85
depth
gas cap,
low density
po
hmin
stress
v
shale
sandstone
shale
sandstone
limestone
shale
depth
depth
v
z
Examination of a Typical
Synthetic OP Case
po
seal
4
1400 m OP zone
sharp
transition
Reversion
zone
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)
0
9.16 ppg
10.0 ppg
1
800 m soft sediments
Medium stiff
shales and silts
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)
2000 m shales
and silts
po
sharp
transition
OP zone
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)
Sea water
2000 m shales
and silts
po
OP zone
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)
Sea water
2000 m shales
and silts
po
OP zone
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)
Sea water
Slight OB
needed
po
4
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)
OP zone
higher in hole
Fracturing lower in hole
Region of strong
overpressure
Higher k rocks
(fractured shales)
Stresses revert to
more ordinary state
Same Example
2.0 (16.7 ppg)
1400 m OP zone
5
Reversion
zone
po
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)
Comments on LWD
Underbalance:
650 s/m
Soft seds.
Stiff shales
and silts
po
seal
PROGNOSES FROM
OFFSET WELL
DATA, CORRECTED
FOR Z, ETC
6
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)
Expected OP
transition
OP zone
Reversion
zone
Large OP expected
Regions of substantial
deviation are highlighted as
critical, experience used to
choose likely top of OP
OP magnitude estimated,
based on correlations
Seismic Cross-Sections
Depth Converted
1:1 Horizontal / Vertical Ratio
Offset Well Ties (Regional)
Planned Wellbore (Local)
Well A
Gas Pull Down
Top Balder
Top Chalk
Intra Hod/Salt
exponent data
Resistivity trends lines (salinity of strata)
Deviations from expected porosity (less
sensitive)
SP log characteristics
Perhaps some others
Is MW a Pressure Indicator?
MWmin Prognosis
Other factors?
Soft seds.
Weak rocks
Stiff shales
and silts
po
PROGNOSES FROM
OFFSET WELL
DATA, CORRECTED
FOR Z, ETC
Strong rocks
6
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)
Expected OP
transition
OP zone
Reversion
zone
During Drilling
1.3
1.5
1.7
prognosis
for hmin
prognosis
for po
1.9
2.1
area indicates
possible MW
depth
density, g/cm3
MW
=1.92
v
XLOT hmin
value
overpressure
transition zone
2.3
Previous
casing
string
shoe
deeper shoe for
casing string!
strong overpressure zone
Using high weight trip pills and careful monitoring, the lower limit can be extended
An OP Well Prognosis
PORE PRESSURE (PPG)
EXPECTED MW (PPG)
FRAC GRAD. (SAND)
FRAC. GRAD (SHALE)
DEPTH - ft
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
11000
12000
13000
14000
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
3000
4000
DEPTH
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
11000
12000
13000
14000
10
11
12
13
14
MUD WEIGHT
15
16
17
18
19
Strategy (contd)
Push
Gullfaks
North Sea case
Overpressure
Reversion zone
Depletion effect
T to 200-211C measured
6300 m deep (~20,000 feet)
Mud weights of 18-19 ppg required
Very narrow MW window near reservoir
Retrograde condensate field, liquids are
generated near the well, reducing k
Surface pres. up to 101 MPa (15000 psi)!
Reservoir experienced rapid depletion and
this led to very high effective stresses, as
well as massively reduced lateral stresses
Lessons Learned
Living
Additional Materials
Also, visit the following website for a
comprehensive list of formulae for
your pressure calculations in drilling:
http://www.tsapts.com.au/formulae_sheets.htm
The Concept
To enhance fracturing pressure by drilling slightly
overbalance and, at the same time, by effectively
plugging and sealing the induced hydraulic fractures
Already plugged
Induced fracture
Not plugged
Methodology
1. Estimate the enhancement through the
classical results (England and Green equation)
2. Modify the Perkins-Kern-Nordgren model to
take into account the effect of progressive
plugging
Classical results
England and Greens equation can be used once the
geometrical parameters of the fracture are known.
It estimates the hoop stress increase from the
mechanical properties of the rock and and the geometrical
parameters of the fracture
Two shapes have been considered:
Penny shape-like fractures
PKN-like fractures (length>>height)
PKN
Penny Shape
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
PKN
Penny Shape
0
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
Poisson coefficient
0.35
0.4
0.45
0.5
PKN
Penny Shape
10
0
0
PKN
Penny Shape
35
30
25
20
15
10
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
3.5
2.5
1.5
0.5
0
0
10
15
time (min)
20
25
30
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
0
20
40
60
80
100
14.0
12.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
Poisson coefficient
0.3
0.35
0.4
0.45
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
0
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
100.0
80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
0.0
0
10
15
20
25