Oilfield Pressures - An Introduction

Oilfield Pressures An Introduction
Operational Pressures
Review
This section is intended for use by students to acquire a good understanding of the pressure relationships in the wellbore and rock formation.
Content
Wellbore Pressures
In the wellbore, there will be pressure (Pw). If the well is shut in, the pressure seen will be the hydrostatic pressure (PH). In this case the bottom hole pressure (BHP) will be equal to the hydrostatic pressure (PH). This is illustrated in Fi ure ! and "quation !.
Figure 1. Illustration of BHP.
,ellbore pressure
Pf Pw
Formation pressure
BHP = PH
Equation 1
BHP = gTVD BHP = 0.052 TVD (psi), (PI 'nits = &ud density (pp ) T$% = True #ertical depth
There are three pressure scenarios to ta)e into account when plannin a well*
o#erbalanced+ in balance+ underbalanced.
Aberdeen Drilling Management (ADM) 201
Overbalanced
This in#ol#es the wellbore pressure bein reater than the pore-formation pressure, and is the eneral scenario used in the offshore oil and as industry today when drillin wells.
P" > Pf P" = Pf + PO!
Equation 2
Pw = $ellbore pressure P%B = #argin of o"erbalance Pf = or!ation pressure Pw is interchangeable with PH (Hydrostatic Pressure) if the well is shut in
The mar in of o#erbalance is often called the safety or trip mar in, and is the measure of how far abo#e the pore pressure the wellbore pressure is. If the formation pressure becomes reater than the wellbore pressure then formation fluid will flow into the wellbore, a phenomenon )nown as .I/..
In Balance
This scenario in#ol#es the pore pressure for the formation bein e0actly the same as the wellbore pressure. It is not a common pressure scenario when drillin in offshore wells and is shown in "quation 1.
Equation 3 Underbalanced
P" =Pf
&ost con#entional wells are drilled o#erbalance but recent de#elopments in drillin technolo y ha#e meant that underbalance drillin is bein increasin ly used to impro#e well producti#ity. This is a specialised drillin technique in which the influ0 of formation fluid into the wellbore can be deliberately controlled to minimise or a#oid certain borehole problems such as formation dama e. Thus the hydrostatic pressure would be desi ned to be less than the formation pressure. This is a controlled )ic) in which the #olume of fluid flowin and mi0in with the wellbore fluid is )nown. Thus, in this case*
P" < P f P" = P f P#! P#! = &nderbalance !argin
Equation 4
The re ulation of the relationships between these pressures is crucial to a successful drillin operation, as is the effect of mi0in formation and drillin fluids as drillin pro resses.
Well Control
,ell /ontrol refers to the operational condition that re ulates the pressure relationships with respect to the flow of formation fluid into the wellbore. ,hen the formation fluid flow becomes uncontrollable and fluid ushes up to the surface, it is referred to as a B23,3'T. ,ell /ontrol can enerally be di#ided into Primary, 4econdary and Tertiary components.
Primary
ell !ontrol
In this case PH is monitored and re ulated to be reater than the formation pressure, P F. (lternati#ely, it co#ers the scenario whereby there is some minor )ic) and the well is shut in to create an equilibrium pressure condition. For underbalanced drillin , primary control co#ers the maintenance of the desi ned le#el of underbalance. 3ne of the main duties of a &ud 2o er is to ensure that the culture of primary control is adhered to on a drillin ri .
"econdary
ell !ontrol
This is the main sta e of the restoration of pressure equilibrium after a )ic) has occurred.
Tertiary
ell !ontrol
This co#ers the ma5or efforts and technolo y used to contain the flow from a well due to Blowout. From the abo#e it is apparent that adequate )nowled e of the different pressures and their relationship to each other is of paramount importance. &ost important of all, accurate )nowled e or prediction of formation pressure is fundamental to safe drillin . Pressure definitions are i#en below.
Pressure
Pressure can be defined as the force e0erted on a unit cross6sectional area. Pressure radient is the pressure e0erted per unit len th. 4ome of the )ey ob5ecti#es of pressure e#aluation are*
ain an accurate )nowled e of formation pressure in order to ensure effecti#e well control+ estimate formation fracture pressure in order to set the limits of wor)in pressures+ reduce the ris) of secondary well control throu h the anticipation of pressure transitions, etc+ wellbore pressure analysis - hydraulics optimisation.
It is required, especially for e0ploratory wells, to predict pre#ailin formation and fracture pressures throu h*
electric lo s (sonic and F%/ lo s) especially from offset wells+ &,% lo s from offset wells+ offset well reports+ actual pressures from offset wells+
seismic data.
2i)ewise, analysis of pressure distribution in well bores is essential towards drill6bit no77le si7in , optimum utilisation of a#ailable pump pressure for effecti#e hole cleanin , wellbore stability, etc. The )ey types of operatin pressures are*
hydrostatic pressure+ bottom hole circulatin pressure (BH/P)+ pump pressure+ o#erburden pressure+ formation pressure+ fracture pressure.
Hydrostatic Pressure
This is the pressure due to the unit wei ht and #ertical hei ht of a static column of fluid. It is e0pressed mathematically in field units as*
PH = 9.9:; 8 D
Equation 5
PH = Hydrostatic pressure (psi) 8 = %ensity (pp ) % = True #ertical well depth (ft)
This relationship is for true #ertical depth (T$%) and is therefore independent of hole an le and measured depth (&%).
Bottom Hole Circulating Pressure (BHCP)

3nce circulation is established in the wellbore, pressure losses will occur in the annulus due to friction. For circulation to be maintained these losses must be o#ercome by the pumps. This leads to an increase in the bottom hole pressure to abo#e that of pure hydrostatic pressure*
BH/P = PH + <P(==
Equation 6
<P(== = (nnular pressure losses (psi)
The annular pressure losses are determined from standard equations for both drill pipe and drill collar annuli, and are dependent on flow rate, flow type and fluid rheolo y. BH/P can also be e0pressed as an equi#alent circulatin density ("/%) or pounds per allon (pp ) equi#alent*
Equation 7
"/% =
BH/P 9.9:; T$%
(pp e)
ifferential Pressure
The differential pressure is the difference between the bottom hole circulatin pressure and the formation pressure. Thus
Equation 8
<P = BH/P PF
There are three possible scenarios that can occur if the differential pressure is either ne ati#e (well is underbalanced), equal to 7ero (in balance), or positi#e (o#erbalanced).
"cenario #
If %P is ne ati#e, the effects are*
>as seepa e from formation+ Increased penetration rate (?3P)+ /a#in of impermeable formations6 spallin and slou hin shales+ Fluid influ0 ()ic)) from permeable 7ones Possible collapse of borehole wall in incompetent formations e , unconsolidated sands.
"cenario $
If %P is at or near 7ero, the effect will include*
>ood e0pression of asses liberated from cuttin s+ /onnection and trip as e0pression due to mud column pressure reduction from circulation stoppa e and pipe mo#ement.
"cenario %
If %P is positi#e, the effects are*
?eduction in ?3P+ Poor e0pression of asses from permeable formations due to drillin fluids flushin of formation+ Poor electric lo response+ Formation dama e with solids in#asion+ Possible lost circulation.
'nder @normalA drillin conditions, o#erbalance is essential and usually set between ;99 6 199psi. This ma)es penetration less than optimum but ma)es )ic) less li)ely durin drillin . &ore importantly, small positi#e differential pressure compensates for swab pressure reduction durin trips and connections.
!"e #$!ube %nalogy

The fluid columns inside the drillstrin and annulus can be said to form a @'6tubeA arran ement, as shown in Fi ure ;.
Figure &. # ' !ube %nalogy.
,hen fluids on both sides of the wellbore ' 6 tube are the same density, and if they balance formation pressure, then the system is in equilibrium. If the well is shut in, the pressures should be 7ero. ,hen there is influ0 due to PF bein reater than the mud pressure, then the system is unbalanced and inflow will continue until there is equilibrium a ain or the well is shut6in. (fter shut in, the wellbore fluid pressure will rise until it equals the formation pressure. 4ince the path of least resistance is the annulus, the influ0 has the tendency to enter the annulus as shown. .ic) fluid usually has lower density than the uncut mud. This means than the annulus pressure is lower than the drillpipe pressure filled with uncut mud. Thus the two sides of the ' 6 tube become unbalanced and the system tries to reach equilibrium. In a shut6in well, e#idence of unbalance is a difference between the annulus and drillpipe pressure measured at the surface. The annulus pressure will be hi her than the drillpipe pressure by the difference in fluid column pressures.
&
Pump Pressure
Pump pressure must o#ercome all the pressure losses in the mud path (Fi ure 1)*
surface equipment (e . rotary hose, swi#el, )elly or topdri#e)+ drill pipe+ bottom hole assemblies (BH()+ bit+ BH( annulus+ drill pipe annulus.
These losses need can be calculated from standard pressure loss equations and are needed to determine whether the pumps can deli#er the necessary flow rates for optimal drillin . For hole cleanin and penetration, hydraulics and pressure losses at the bit are important. >eneral desi n is for :9B to C:B loss at the bit. (ll other losses are termed parasytic and can be summarised as*
<PP = <PD + <PBIT
Equation 9
<PD = Parasytic losses <PBIT = Pressure loss at bit
Figure () *c"ematic Flo+ ,oop
)urface +,uip!ent
)ha*ers #ud Pu!ps #ud Pits
Drill Pipe Drill Pipe (nnulus
Drill 'ollars Drill 'ollar (nnulus Bit
'
O-erburden Pressure
.nowled e of o#erburden pressure at each point in a well is essential for formation pressure and fracture pressure estimation. The relationship can be e0pressed mathematically as*
E ob = E 7 + PF
Equation 10
E ob = 3#erburden stress or pressure E 7 = &atri0 stress (roc) in this case) PF = Formation pressure
3#erburden pressure is the pressure e0erted by the total wei ht of solids and fluids in the formation and is caused by the wei ht of roc) abo#e the area of interest. =ote* The matri0 stress 7 is unique and constant for any particular formation. If we )now the o#erburden pressure and pore pressure for a particular depth, we can calculate the formation pressure at any other depth.
Formation Pressure
Review
This section is intended for use by students to acquire a good knowledge of what formation pressure is& its relevance& its relationship with other pressures and its evaluation.
Content
Introduction
Formation pressure is the pressure e0erted by the fluids contained in the pore space of a roc). It depends normally on the fluid column density and #ertical depth. For a normal formation, it is equi#alent to the pressure supported by a column of the formation fluid at that depth, ie the hydrostatic pressure. For this normal formation, the true pore pressure at a i#en depth is equal to the fluid column pressure plus pressure losses from fluid mo#ement and temperature effects. Pore pressure can be e0pressed as*
PF = 9.9:;8 F %
Equation 11
PF = Formation pressure (psi) 8 F = Formation density (pp ) % = %epth, T$% (ft)
,e can ha#e normal or abnormal formations. The upper limit of the pore pressure is the o#erburden pressure.
.ormal Formation Pressure

Because saline water is the most common fluid in the porous roc), the formation pressure is i#en as a function of the formation water density. %ependin on salinity, the pressure ran es from 9.F11psi-ft (fresh water) to 9.FC:psi-ft. "0amples are shown in Table !.
!able 1. /0amples of Formation (Pore) Pressures %round t"e 1lobe
=i er %elta =orth 4ea ($i)in Basin) >ulf /oast
9.F11 psi-ft 9.FF; psi-ft 9.FC1 psi-ft
%bnormal Formation Pressure

,here the formation pressure is less than 9.F11 psi-ft or reater than 9.FC:psi-ft the pressure is abnormal. ( PFG 9.F11psi-ft is termed 4'B=3?&(2, while a PFH9.FC:psi-ft is termed >"3P?"44'?"% or 3$"?P?"44'?"%. (lthou h the cause is not fully understood, se#eral mechanisms ha#e been identified. They are belie#ed to be interactions between the followin effects*
Pressure 4eals 6 /ombination of effects that restrict mi ration of formation fluids from hi her to lower pressures. These include unconformities formed by structural or litholo ical chan e+
/ompaction effects 6 The phenomenon occurs in all sediments especially clay based marine sediments. Pore water e0pands with increasin depth burial and increased temperature. ,hile the pore space is reduced by increasin eostatic load (o#erburden), the formation pressure will ine#itably increase if there is no escape path. Tectonic "ffect 6 The result of uplift of normally compacted formations, stress field chan es. /reation of secondary faults and fractures in an earthqua)e prone re ion contribute to the formation of abnormal pressure+ %ia enetic "ffects 6 This is the process of chemical alteration of minerals by eolo ical processes. /lay based sediments or e#aporites can under o dia enesis leadin to o#erpressure+ %ifferential density effects 6 ,hen the pore fluid present in any non6hori7ontal structure has a density si nificantly less than the normal pore fluid density for the area, abnormal pressures can be encountered in the updip portion of the structure. This is popular with as reser#oirs when a si nificant dip is drilled+ 3smotic Process in#ol#in the mo#ement of water throu h a semi6permeable membrane+ Pressure (nomalies due to differential density+ ,ater is more dense than oil- as. Thus a reser#oir containin oil- as has a lower radient than the same reser#oir with water+ Fluid &i ration "ffects 6 @/har in A and @?echar in A of formations in communication with an o#erpressured 7one. The upward mo#ement of fluid from a deep reser#oir to a more shallow formation can result in the shallow formation becomin abnormally pressured. 2i)ewise communication can be #ia the annulus outside casin due to channellin throu h cement+ /ommunication from inside to outside casin especially when a hole e0ists in the casin wall+ Potentiometric %ifferences 6 The potentiometric surface of an aquifer coincides with the le#el that water will rise to at any point in the aquifer. The water table le#el is the potentiometric surface for a 7one of water saturation e0cept where the surface is an impermeable 7one. ,ater in an aquifer flows from a point of hi h potential to a point of low potential. For a well startin from a point below the potentiometric surface, drillin the aquifer with mud of @normalA density will result in a blowout.
There are a #ariety of reasons why it is crucial to ha#e an accurate )nowled e of the formation or pore pressure durin drillin operations. For e0ample, one of the primary functions of the drillin mud is the control of subsurface formation pressure, whether the plan is for o#erbalanced or underbalanced drillin .
/stimation of Formation Pressure

Formation pressure is one of the critical parameters needed by the drillin en ineer in plannin and drillin a modern well. In well plannin , the en ineer must first determine whether abnormal pressures will be present. If they will be, the depth at which the fluid pressures will depart from normal and the ma nitude of pressure must be estimated. Before drillin in the absence of any suspected abnormal 7ones the normal pressure radient for that re ion will be assumed. The assumption is made that similar formations ha#in the same porosity dependent #ariable are under the same effecti#e matri0 stress 7. Thus matri0 ! at depth % is 7 I 7n at depth %n which i#es the same measured #alue of the porosity dependent parameter,
10
Equation 12
E 7 =E 7n =E obn Pn
therefore, pore pressure PF at any other depth can be calculated as follows*
Equation 13
PF = E ob E 7
3n completion of drillin direct measurement of formation pressure is possible usin #arious tools and techniques such as*
repeat formation tester (?FT)+ drill stem testin (%4T)+ e0tended well testin .
Howe#er, indirect estimates of formation pressure are needed for plannin purposes. &ost methods for detectin and estimatin abnormal formation pressure are based on the fact that formations with abnormal pressure also tend to be less compacted and ha#e a hi her porosity than similar formations with normal pressure at the same depth. &easurements that reflect chan es in porosity are therefore used to detect abnormal pressure. >enerally, the porosity dependent parameter is measured and plotted as a function of depth. ( distinct departure from the normal trend si nals a probable transition. .nowled e of the transition depth is crucial in the determination of casin shoe settin depths. Techniques for estimation-detection of abnormal formation pressures include*
predicti#e method estimation and #erification durin drillin .
Predicti-e 2et"od
"stimates of formation pore pressure made before drillin are based on*
correlation from nearby or ad5acent wells (offset well data)+ seismic data.
For de#elopment wells, emphasis is on data from pre#ious drillin e0periences in the area. For e0ploratory wells, only seismic data is a#ailable. From the seismic data, the a#era e acoustic #elocity as a function of depth is determined. This is a special role for eophysicists who will pro#ide a profile of matri0 transit time #ersus porosity
/stimation uring rilling

(s drillin pro resses into a transition 7one of normal and abnormal formation, #ariations in the roc) properties and bit performance usually pro#ides many indirect indications of chan es in formation pressure. To detect these chan es, drillin parameters related to bit performance are monitored continuously and recorded by surface instruments. In addition, many #ariables related to drillin fluids and roc) fra ments (drilled cuttin s) bein circulated from the hole are monitored carefully and lo ed usin special mud lo in equipment. =owadays, in an ideal situation, surface instruments used to monitor bit performance and other mud lo in facilities are consolidated into a sin le well monitorin unit. &easurement6,hile6%rillin (&,%) and 2o in 6,hile6%rillin (2,%) facilities help in a number of ways. ?eliable pressure e#aluation always requires correlation of se#eral of the followin )ey parameters and indicators*
Penetration rate 6 /han es in bit penetration rate (?3P) or beha#iour as measured at surface is #ery useful for litholo y correlation and transition 7one identification+
11
4hale ca#in increase 6 4lou hin and spallin of shale fra ments as obser#ed on the surface sha)er is another indication of transition 7one+ 4hale density-4hale factor chan es+ &ud density-conducti#ity chan es+ Flowline mud temperature chan es+ @dA e0ponent (%/4) chan es+ Increase in drilled-swabbed as+ Torque-3#erpull and %ra + &ud pit #olume-Flow increase while drillin J .ic) (#erification), the shut in drillpipe pressure is indicati#e of formation pressure+ /han es in hole fill durin trip.
(ll methods of e#aluation are based on correlation e0cept the )ic) calculation.
Penetration 3ate and rilling Brea4

The rate of penetration (?3P) is always monitored durin drillin . Ideally, ?3P decreases with increased depth for any i#en formation. In addition, bit penetration rate normally chan es si nificantly between formation types. Thus a penetration rate lo can frequently be used to aid litholo y correlation with nearby wells with )nown formation pressures. Penetration rate is therefore used as indicator for chan in porosity, bul) density and most importantly the identification of transition 7ones. /han es in bit beha#iour can be detected throu h measurements made at the surface. /ommon measurements besides the penetration rate include the hoo) load, rotary speed and torque. (n increase in ?3P may be a result of a decrease in differential pressure across the hole bottom, or a decrease in roc) stren th caused by undercompaction. ,hen a transition 7one into abnormal pressure is encountered, the normal or e0pected trend is altered. Hi h pressure reser#oirs often ha#e hi h porosity, and any sudden increase in the ?3P, termed a drillin brea), may well indicate that a hi h porosity - hi h pressure 7one has been hit. This pro#ides a unique indicator for the abnormal formation. Howe#er, care must be ta)en as many drillin #ariables other than formation type and pore pressure can affect ?3P. 4e#eral types of de#ices are a#ailable for measurin penetration rate. These include*
The "lapsed Time ?ecorder 6 This de#ice records the time required to drill a i#en depth inter#al. The de#ice ma)es a tic) mar) on a time chart after each depth inter#al+ The traditional >eolo raph type depth indicator is almost a standard on most ri s+ ( more modern de#ice is the pressurised Bristol type recorder+ &ore modern systems in#ol#e methods of measurin drillin line mo#ement. (ll mo#ements, draw 6 wor)s drums, derric) crown bloc), or cable are monitored usin a series of optical encoders or ma netic pro0imity switches to determine the direction and distance of the drillin line mo#ement. From this, motion of the tra#ellin bloc) and hence the drillstrin may be computed and displayed di itally.
!"e d$/0ponent
The @dA e0ponent is basically used to predict the possibility of abnormally pressured formations. It i#es a non6dimensional number which is based upon the relationship between the penetration rate and formation pressure. It can be used to identify the transition from normal to abnormal formation pressure for a i#en drillin fluid density. It can also be used to calculate*
12
The formation pressure+ The fracture radient in abnormally pressured 7ones.
&athematically, it is defined as*

0 lo /0 . d= -2$ lo -000D bit
Equation 14
? = Penetratio n rate (ft-hr) = = ?otary speed (rpm) , = ,ei ht on bit ()ilo 6 lbf) % bit = Bit diameter (inches)
In normally pressured formations, the d6e0ponent increases radually as the well depth increases. (ny departure from this trend is an indication of the transition to abnormal pressure conditions. This may be in the form of re#erse trend with ne ati#e radient or that the trend increases less rapidly with depth.
!orrected d'()ponent
The d6e0ponent can howe#er be affected by the mud density. Thus it is usually corrected for mud density chan e*
dc = d 8n 8e
Equation 15
d c = /orrected d 6 e0ponent 8 n = &ud density equi#alent to normal formation pressure (psi-ft or pp ) 8 e = "qui#alent mud density at the bit (psi-ft or pp )
Fracture Pressure
Review
This section is intended for use by students to acquire a good knowledge of what fracture pressure is& its relevance and its evaluation.
Content
Fracture 1radient
Fracture pressure is the critical pressure required to brea) down the formation or induce fractures. Fracture radient is the plot of pressure, #ersus depth, necessary for this to occur. %eliberate fracturin is a well stimulation technique used to impro#e production. Howe#er there can be induced fracturin durin drillin which can result in ma5or problems such as lost circulation. .nowled e of the fracture radient helps to determine*
)ic)+ settin depths for intermediate casin strin s+ ma0imum allowable annular surface pressure (&((4P) allowed for controllin a ma0imum allowable mud density for drillin .
In most cases, the wea)est point in the wellbore is 5ust below the casin shoe. Fracture pressure can be e#aluated by either predicti#e mathematical models or from direct measurement on site.
!"e ,ea4off !est

The lea)off test is the ultimate method for the positi#e determination of the ma0imum mud wei ht permitted in the open hole section of the well. The crew performs the test in the first few feet of a new hole drilled below a new casin shoe. This is li)ely to be the wea)est point of the open hole section if no hi hly permeable formations e0ist further down hole. The test result, when con#erted to equi#alent mud density, determines the ma0imum mud wei ht that the section can withstand without loss of circulation. 2ea)off tests should usually be run for a few wells in a new bloc). The test consists of closure of the hole at surface, then application of pressure until mud 5ust be ins to in5ect into the formation. The lea)off test procedure is usually as follows*
!. after cementin casin , run in hole with bit and drillstrin + ;. pressure test casin , then drill out casin shoe and a further minimum of !9 feet of new formation+ 1. pull bit up to casin shoe+ F. with bit at shoe depth, shut off pumps, wait for flow to cease then close the )elly coc) and blow out pre#enter (mainly the annular pre#enter)+ :. then use cementin unit to pump drillin mud slowly throu h the cho)e line into the hole annulus. while pumpin , always monitor the pressure buildup and #olume pumped+ C. the pressure buildup should be more or less linear until mud be ins to bleed into the formation. The pressure at which the buildup cur#e departs from linearity is the 2ea)off Pressure (P23T)+
1$
K. as pumpin continues, the buildup cur#e flattens out until pressure no lon er increases. (t this point, the pump is in5ectin mud into the formation pores and fractures. The pressure of the mud at this point is the In5ection Pressure+ L. at in5ecti#ity point, pump should be shut off and the cho)e line closed+ M. monitor the pressure. =ormally at this point the shut6in pressure will fall until it reaches an equilibrium point that is sli htly abo#e the lea)off pressure. The equilibrium point is the Bleedoff Point. The &ud 2o er must monitor the amount of mud in5ected durin the test and compare with the return mud #olume durin bleedoff. 2oss of most or all of the in5ected mud implies that the formation or cement sheet behind casin if fractured+ !9. hold bleedoff pressure for se#eral minutes to confirm that no brea)down has ta)en place. If bleedoff pressure remains steady, open the cho)e #al#e to #ent the rest of the pressure.
Figure 1. ,ea4off !est Pressure Profile
Bottom *ole Pressure at +eakoff

The lea)off pressure determines the Bottom Hole Pressure (BHP) at lea)off. The ma0imum mud wei ht or "qui#alent /irculatin %ensity ("/%) permitted can then be calculated. The equation for the BHP is as follows*
BHP (at lea)off) = 9.9:; 8 m% + P23T
Equation 16
P23T = 2ea)off pressure (psi) 8 m = &ud density (pp ) % = True #ertical depth (ft)
In &etric 'nits*
BHP (at lea) off) = 9.!8 m% + P23T
Equation 17
P23T = 2ea)off pressure () -cm ; ) 8 m = &ud density ( m-cc) % = True #ertical depth (m)
1%
&a0imum mud wei ht permitted is the equi#alent density to the BHP at lea) off and can be computed. "/% must not e0ceed this #alue*
Equation 18
8 ma0 = BHP
9.9:;%
In certain plastic formations it may be difficult to obtain an accurate P23T #alue as the formation flows as pressure is applied. It may be necessary when drillin such formations to en ineer the mud properties so as to chan e the inte rity characteristics of the roc).
Formation Integrity !est (FI!)

In a FIT (otherwise )nown as Formation Inta)e Test) the crew tests the formation below the newest casin shoe to a pressure sli htly less than the predicted fracture pressure. If no lea)off occurs at this pressure, then the test is successful. The disad#anta e of a FIT is that the true lea)off pressure is un)nown. If mud wei ht is raised abo#e the ma0imum defined by the FIT, then lost circulation may occur.
Calculation of Fracture 1radient
uring rilling
(s mentioned pre#iously, fracture radients are essential to well plannin . The factors influencin the fracture radient are*
in situ stress conditions+ hole eometry and orientation+ mud density, rheolo y and hydraulics+ wellbore temperatures+ formation composition.
Fracture radient is a loose term to define three different #alues*

pressure to initiate a fracture (FIP J fracture initiation pressure)+ pressure to reopen or e0tend an e0istin fracture (FPP J fracture propa ation pressure)+ fracture closin pressure (F/P).
For drillin purposes, the lowest #alue, the fracture closin pressure, defines the ma0imum pressure allowable in an open hole and is ta)en to be equal to the least principal stress. Fracture radient theoretical calculations are based on a number of summary models. "ach model is based on the followin assumptions*
(a) (b) (c) E = E ob PF E ob0 = 0 + PF in a hori7ontal direction = . 0 + PF .0 = O
Equation 19
E ob0 =
(! 6 O)
E = "ffecti#e matri0 stress, E ob = 3#erburden pressure 0 = &atri0 stress (hori7ontal) . 0 = 4tress coefficient PF = Pore pressure, O = PoissonN s ratio
1&

Oilfield Pressures - An Introduction

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Oilfield Pressures - An Introduction

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Oilfield Pressures An Introduction

Aberdeen Drilling Management (ADM) 201