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Well Control
Lesson 9A
Fracture Gradients
- cont’d
Fracture Gradients - cont’d
Radial and Tangential Stresses near the
Wellbore
Stresses in Rock near Wellbore
Effect of Anisotropic Stresses
Onshore vs. Offshore Fracture Gradients
Fracture Gradients in Inclined Wellbores
Oil Based and Water Based Drilling Fluids
2
Fig. 3.21 - Stress concentrations around a borehole
in a uniform stress field
Tension
Additional
compression
3
Fig. 3.22 - Induced stresses in the presence
of a biaxial-stress field 4
Example 3.4
Given:
Formation depth = 10,000’
Poisson’s ratio = 0.22
Pore pressure grad = 0.433 psi/ft
Hole diameter = 9.0 in
Mud density = 8.33 ppg
Overburden stress grad. = 1.00 psi/ft
5
Example 3.4 - Part 1
1. Estimate the horizontal stress if the
rock behaves in an elastic manner
Solution:
H = (/(1-))*(ob- pp) + pp ….Eq 3.21b
H = (0.22/(1 - 0.22))
* (1*10,000 - 0.433*10,000) + 4,330
H = 5,929 psi
6
Example 3.4 – Part 1 - cont’d
Effective horizontal stress
eH = H - *pp
9
Example 3.4- Part 3
3. What are the radial and tangential stresses
2.0 ft from the wellbore centerline?
rw2 rw2
r,2 ft H 1 2 2 p w Radial Stress: Eq. 3.31
r r
4 .5 2 4 .5 2
r,2 ft 5,9291 4,330 5,873 psig
24.0 2 24.0 2
rw2 rw2
t,2 ft H 1 2 2 p w Tangential Stress: Eq. 3.32
r r
4 . 5 2 4. 5 2
t,2 ft 5,9291 4,330 5,985 psig
24.0 24.0 2
2
pw = 4,590 psig = r
t = H1 + H2 - pw -2(H1 - H2)cos2
12
Example 3.4 – Part 5
( He1 = 3 * He2 )
= 9,127 psig
13
Example 3.4 – Part 5 – cont’t
t,max = 3 H1 - H2 - pw Eq. 3.26
15
From example 3.4
The effective radial stress will be zero if
the wellbore and formation pressures
are balanced
16
From example 3.4
An underbalanced situation will lead to
inward tensile stress which may tend to
destabilize the walls of the hole.
18
From example 3.4
An effective horizontal stress ratio of
three exactly reduces the minimum
effective tangential stress to zero.
Any borehole pressure slightly over and
above the pore pressure in this case
would place the wellbore in tension and
likely create a fracture. No extension!
19
Stress anisotropies
Borehole caliper logs
may help in determining
significant stress
anisotropies.
20
21
Example 3.5 – Part 1 - fractures
Eaton’s overburdent gradient at
12,000 ft = 0.961 psi/ft. ts = 0
2
g fi
g ob g p g p ts Fracture Initiation
1 D
Eq. 3.41
2 * 0.19
g fi 0.961 0.465 0.465 0 0.698 psi / ft
1 0.19
g fp
g ob g p g p
Fracture Propagation
Eq. 3.42
1
0.19
g fp 0.961 0.465 0.465 0.581 psi / ft
1 0.19
22
Example 3.5 – Part 2: gp = 0.779 psi/ft
At 12,000 ft, gob = 0.961 psi/ft. ts = 0
2
g fi
g ob g p g p ts Fracture Initiation
1 D
Eq. 3.41
2 * 0.19
gfi 0.961 0.779 0.779 0 0.864 psi / ft
1 0.19
g fp
g ob g p g p Fracture Propagation
1 Eq. 3.42
0.19
g fp 0.961 0.779 0.779 0.822 psi / ft
1 0.19
23
Example 3.5 – Part 3:
gfi at 500 ft = ?
g fi g fp g ob 0.855 psi / ft
24
Example 3.5 – Part 4: ts = 300 psig
ts 300
At 12,000 ft:
D 12,000
0.025 psi / ft
ts 300
At 500 ft,
D 500
0.60 psi / ft gfi 1.46 psi / ft
1,
00
TVD below RKB, 1,000 ft
0
TVD Water ob
Depth
7,0
0 0
Poisson’s Original
ratio
28
Poisson’s Ratio
Inclined wellbores
The prior induced stress equations are
valid only if the wellbore axis is parallel
to the maximum principal stress axis.
29
Inclined wellbores
In general, such wellbores tend to have
lower fracture gradients.
30
Max. prin. Stress dir.
Wellbore direction
31
E
32
Example 3.6
Inclination = 70 deg Pore Pressure
Azimuth = N88E = 12.0 ppg
TVD = 14,000’ Poisson’s ratio = 0.25
Maximum in situ stress Assume elastic
is vertical behavior
Minimum horiz. Stress
grad. = 0.739 psi/ft
Estimate the
Salt dome intrusion has
created an incremental fracture pressure
horizontal stress of 0.061
psi/ft in the S42E direction
33
Example
3.6
AWELL = N88E
IWELL = 70 deg
= 50 deg
S42E
34
Example 3.6
35
Example 3.6 – cont’d
Eq. 3.47
36
Example 3.6 – cont’d
Eq. 3.48
Eq. 3.49
37
Example 3.6 – cont’d
Eq. 3.50
38
Example 3.6 – cont’d
Eq. 3.51
Eq. 3.52
39
Example 3.6 – cont’d
41
Continued iterations show that gfi = 0.695 psi/ft
In a vertical well gfi = 0.794 psi/ft 42
Vary to find the minimum value of 3 43
Next, gradually increase the wellbore pressure
until the effective minimum principal stress at
the wellbore vanishes.
44
Borehole Lost
instability circulation
47
Oil Base Muds
Are more prone to lost circulation than
water based muds!
Why?
48
Oil Base Muds
Rheology - Oil base muds tend to be
more viscous at low shear rates than
comparable water base muds, thus
yielding higher ECD
49
Oil Base Muds
But…
oil muds also have higher relative
thermal expansions
temperature changes when circulation
stops
so, wellbore pressures change
50
Mud Temperature > Rock Temperature
in upper part of hole
Mud
Temperature in
Annulus
53
Example 3.7
At 80 oF formation temperature the
fracture gradient is 0.864 psi/ft
= 0.19 D = 500’
While drilling deeper, the temperature in
the vicinity of the wellbore increases to 90
deg F.
What is the new fracture gradient?
Assume E = 2.5* 106 = 8.0*10-6/ oF
54
Example 4.7
(et)T = ET/(1-) Eq. 3.62
(et)T =(2.5*106)(8.0*10-6)(90-80)/(1-0.19)