A new geomechanical approach to investigate the role of in-situ stresses and pore pressure on hydraulic fracture pressure profile in vertical and horizontal oil wells

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Erfan Saberhosseini ◽  
Reza Keshavarzi ◽  
Kaveh Ahangari
Keyword(s):  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Pressure Profile ◽  
Oil Wells ◽  
Fracture Pressure ◽  
In Situ Stresses

scholarly journals Laboratory Investigation on the -Effect of In-Situ Stresses on Hydraulic Fracture Containment

1982 ◽  
Vol 22 (03) ◽  
pp. 333-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman R. Warpinski ◽  
James A. Clark ◽  
Richard A. Schmidt ◽  
Clarence W. Huddle
Keyword(s):  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
In Situ Stress ◽  
Enhanced Production ◽  
In Situ Stresses ◽  
Extensive Growth ◽  
Stress Variations ◽  
Fracture Growth

Abstract Laboratory experiments have been conducted to determine the effect of in-situ stress variations on hydraulic fracture containment. Fractures were initiated in layered rock samples with prescribed stress variations, and fracture growth characteristics were determined as a function of stress levels. Stress contrasts of 300 to 400 psi (2 to 3 MPa) were found sufficient to restrict fracture growth in laboratory samples of Nevada tuff and Tennessee and Nugget sandstones. The required stress level was found not to depend on mechanical rock properties. However, permeability and the resultant pore pressure effects were important. Tests conducted at biomaterial interfaces between Nugget and Tennessee sandstones show that the resultant stresses set up near the interface because of the applied overburden stress affect the fracture behavior in the same way as the applied confining stresses. These results provide a guideline for determining the in-situ stress contrast necessary to contain a fracture in a field treatment. Introduction An under-standing of the factors that influence and control hydraulic fracture containment is important for the successful use of hydraulic fracturing technology in the enhanced production of natural gas from tight reservoirs. Optimally, this understanding would provide improved fracture design criteria to maximize fracture surface area in contact with the reservoir with respect to volume injected and other treatment parameters. In formations with a positive containment condition (i.e., where fracturing out of zone is not anticipated), long penetrating fractures could be used effectively to develop the resource. For the opposite case, the options would beto use a small treatment so that large volumes are not wasted in out-of-zone fracturing and to accept a lower productivity improvement, orto reject the zone as uneconomical. These decisions cannot be made satisfactorily unless criteria for vertical fracture propagation are developed and techniques for readily measuring the important parameters are available. Currently, both theoretical and experimental efforts are being pursued to determine the important parameters and their relative effects on fracture growth. Two modes of fracture containment are possible. One is the situation where fracture growth is terminated at a discrete interface. Examples of this include laboratory experiments showing fracture termination at weak or unbonded interfaces and theoretical models that predict that fracture growth will terminate at a material property interface. The other mode may occur when the fracture propagates into the bounding layer, but extensive growth does not take place and the fracture thus is restricted. An example is the propagation of the fracture into a region with an adverse stress gradient so that continued propagation results in higher stresses on the fracture, which limits growth, as suggested by Simonson et al. and as seen in mineback experiments. Another example is the possible restriction caused by propagation into a higher modulus region where the decreased width results in increased pressure drop in the fracture, which might inhibit extensive growth into that region relative to the lower modulus region. Other parameters, such as natural fractures, treatment parameters, pore pressure, etc., may affect either of these modes. Laboratory and mineback experiments have shown that weak interfaces and in-situ stress differences are the most likely factors to contain the fracture, and weak interfaces are probably effective only at shallow depths. Thus, our experiments are being performed to determine the effect of in-situ stresses on fracture containment, both in a uniform rock sample and at material properly interfaces. SPEJ P. 333^

Estimation of hydraulic fracture pressure in clay

1994 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 817-828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Knut H. Andersen ◽  
Colin G. Rawlings ◽  
Tom A. Lunne ◽  
Trond H. By
Keyword(s):  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Rational Approach ◽  
Laboratory Model ◽  
Drilling Mud ◽  
Stress Strain ◽  
Fracture Pressure ◽  
Fracture Tests ◽  
Mud Pressure

For offshore drilling, and in particular when drilling from fixed platforms in deep waters, the mud pressure will be high compared with the hydraulic fracture pressure (i.e., the formation strength) close to the sea floor. The first casing (the conductor) should therefore be installed to a depth where the formation strength is sufficient to prevent hydraulic fracturing of the soil. The consequences of hydraulic fracture could be mud flowing into the formation and loss of mud circulation. This slows down the drilling and, in cases where large quantities of mud flow into the formations beneath the platform, may even threaten the integrity of the foundation soils and create a safety problem. A conservative approach with too deep conductor setting depths will, on the other hand, lead to high unnecessary costs. This paper presents a new approach for calculating hydraulic fracture pressures. The new calculation approach considers two important factors that are generally not covered by theories found in the literature: nonlinearity of the stress–strain properties of the soil, and pore-pressure changes in the soil due to changes in total normal stress and shearing of the soil. The stress–strain properties and the shear-induced pore pressure are determined from laboratory tests. The proposed calculation approach has been verified against a series of laboratory model hydraulic fracture tests and in situ hydraulic fracture tests carried out at numerous offshore sites. The paper also presents a rational approach to establish the maximum allowable drilling mud pressure in clay formations and recommends partial safety coefficients that depend upon the consequences of hydraulic fracture and the quality of the soil data. Key words : hydraulic fracture, boreholes, clay, conductor setting depth, model tests, in situ tests, calculations.

scholarly journals Mechanism of shear failure near fracture face during drainage process of CBM well

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 3309-3317
Author(s):  
Ping Xiong ◽  
Wang-shui Hu ◽  
Hai-xia Hu ◽  
Hailong Liu
Keyword(s):  
Coal Seam ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Shear Failure ◽  
Failure Envelope ◽  
Hole Pressure ◽  
Bottom Hole Pressure ◽  
Induced Stress ◽  
In Situ Stresses ◽  
Bottom Hole

Abstract In this paper, whether the coal fines can be induced by shear failure during drainage process has been discussed in detail. By coupling with the percolation theory, the elasticity mechanics were used to construe the extra stresses in the formation surrounding with the hydraulic fracture. The safe window of the bottom hole pressure was also calculated from the failure envelope. The research shows that the formation pressure on the fracture surface of the coal seam is negatively related with the bottom hole pressure, and the induced stress is positively related with the bottom hole pressure during the drainage process of fractured CBM wells. The pore pressure around the fracture changed due to pore-elastic effects, which also caused a significant change of the in situ stresses. In order to avoid the breakout of the coal seam around hydraulic fracture during drainage process, the model of the reasonable bottom hole pressure is also built.

Predicting Hydraulic Fracturing in a Carbonate Gas Reservoir in Abu Dhabi Using 1D Mechanical Earth Model: Uncertainty and Constraints

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manhal Sirat ◽  
Mujahed Ahmed ◽  
Xing Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Natural Fracture ◽  
Abu Dhabi ◽  
Hydraulic Fractures ◽  
Gas Reservoir ◽  
In Situ Stresses ◽  
Tight Carbonate ◽  
Different Depths

Abstract In-situ stress state plays an important role in controlling fracture growth and containment in hydraulic fracturing managements. It is evident that the mechanical properties, existing stress regime and the natural fracture network of its reservoir rocks and the surrounding formations mainly control the geometry, size and containments of produced hydraulic fractures. Furthermore, the three principal in situ stresses' axes swap directions and magnitudes at different depths giving rise to identifying different mechanical bedrocks with corresponding stress regimes at different depths. Hence predicting the hydro-fractures can be theoretically achieved once all the above data are available. This is particularly difficult in unconventional and tight carbonate reservoirs, where heterogeneity and highly stress variation, in terms of magnitude and orientation, are expected. To optimize the field development plan (FDP) of a tight carbonate gas reservoir in Abu Dhabi, 1D Mechanical Earth Models (MEMs), involving generating the three principal in-situ stresses' profiles and mechanical property characterization with depth, have been constructed for four vertical wells. The results reveal the swap of stress magnitudes at different mechanical layers, which controls the dimension and orientation of the produced hydro-fractures. Predicted containment of the Hydro-fractures within the specific zones is likely with inevitable high uncertainty when the stress contrast between Sv, SHmax with Shmin respectively as well as Young's modulus and Poisson's Ratio variations cannot be estimated accurately. The uncertainty associated with this analysis is mainly related to the lacking of the calibration of the stress profiles of the 1D MEMs with minifrac and/or XLOT data, and both mechanical and elastic properties with rock mechanic testing results. This study investigates the uncertainty in predicting hydraulic fracture containment due to lacking such calibration, which highlights that a complete suite of data, including calibration of 1D MEMs, is crucial in hydraulic fracture treatment.

A Multi-Disciplinary Approach for Well Spacing and Treatment Design Optimization in the Midland Basin Using Lateral Pore Pressure Estimation and Depletion Modeling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor Levon ◽  
Kit Clemons ◽  
Ben Zapp ◽  
Tim Foltz
Keyword(s):  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Initial Study ◽  
Midland Basin ◽  
Well Spacing ◽  
Fracture Modeling ◽  
Original Target ◽  
Treatment Responses ◽  
Treatment Designs

Abstract With a recent trend in increased infill well development in the Midland basin and other unconventional plays, it has been shown that depletion has a significant impact on hydraulic fracture propagation. This is largely because production drawdown causes in-situ stress changes, resulting in asymmetric fracture growth toward the depleted regions. In turn, this can have a negative impact on production capacity. For the initial part of this study, an infill child well was drilled and completed adjacent to a parent well that had been producing for two years. Due to drilling difficulties, the child well was steered to a new target zone located 125 feet above the original target. However, relative to the original target, treatment data from the new zone indicated abnormal treatment responses leading to a study to evaluate the source of these variations and subsequent mitigation. The initial study was conducted using a pore pressure estimation derived from drill bit geomechanics data to investigate depletion effects on the infill child well. The pore pressure results were compared to the child well treatment responses and bottom hole pressure measurements in the parent well. Following the initial study, additional hydraulic fracture modeling studies were conducted on a separate pad to investigate depletion around the infill wells, determine optimal well spacing for future wells given the level of depletion, and optimize treatment designs for future wells in similar depletion scenarios. A depletion model workflow was implemented based on integrating hydraulic fracture modeling and reservoir analytics for future infill pad development. The geomechanical properties were calibrated by DFIT results and pressure matching of the parent well treatments for the in-situ virgin conditions. Parent well fracture geometries were used in an RTA for an analytical approach of estimating drainage area of the parent wells. These were then applied to a depletion profile in the hydraulic fracture model for well spacing analysis and treatment design sensitivities. Results of the initial study indicated that stages in the new, higher interval had higher breakdown pressures than the lower interval. Additionally, the child well drilled in the lower interval had normal breakdown pressures in line with the parent well treatments. This suggests that treatment differences in the wells were ultimately due to depletion of the offset parent well. Based on the modeling efforts, optimal infill well spacing was determined based on the on-production time of the parent wells. The optimal treatment designs were also determined under the same conditions to minimize offset frac hits and unnecessary completion costs. This case study presents the use of a multi-disciplinary approach for well spacing and treatment optimization. The integration of a novel method of estimating pore pressure and depletion modeling workflows were used in an inventive way to understand depletion effects on future development.

A review of specific storage values from pore pressure response to passive in situ stresses: Implications for sustainable groundwater management

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy A Timms ◽  
M Faysal Chowdhury ◽  
Gabriel C Rau
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Management ◽  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Pressure Response ◽  
Earth Tides ◽  
Low Permeability ◽  
Specific Storage ◽  
Sustainable Groundwater Management ◽  
In Situ Stresses ◽  
Pore Pressure Response

<p>Specific storage (S<sub>s</sub>) values are important for analyzing the quantity of stored groundwater and for predicting drawdown to ensure sustainable pumping. This research compiled S<sub>s</sub> values from multiple available studies based on pore pressure responses to passive stresses, for comparison and discussion with relevant poroelastic theory and groundwater applications. We find that S<sub>s</sub> values from pore pressure responses to passive in situ stresses ranged from 1.3x10<sup>-7</sup> to 3.7x10<sup>-5</sup> m<sup>-1</sup> (geomean 2.0x10<sup>-6</sup> m-1, n=64 from 24 studies). This large S<sub>s</sub> dataset for confined aquifers included both consolidated and unconsolidated strata by extending two recent literature reviews. The dataset included several passive methods: Individual strains from Earth tides and atmospheric loading, their combined effect, and values derived from soil moisture loading due to rainfall events. The range of S<sub>s</sub> values spans approx. 2 orders of magnitude, far less than for hydraulic conductivity, a finding that has important implications for sustainable groundwater management. Both the range of values and maximum S<sub>s</sub> values in this large dataset were significantly smaller than S<sub>s</sub> values commonly applied including laboratory testing of cores, aquifer pump testing and numerical groundwater modelling. </p><p>Results confirm that S<sub>s</sub> is overestimated by assuming incompressible grains, particularly for consolidated rocks. It was also evident that Ss that commonly assumes uniaxial conditions underestimate S<sub>s</sub> that accounts for areal or volumetric conditions.  Further research is required to ensure that S<sub>s</sub> is not underestimated by assuming instantaneous pore pressure response to strains, particularly in low permeability strata. However, in low permeability strata S<sub>s</sub> could also be overestimated if based on total porosity (or moisture content) rather than a smaller free water content, due to water adsorbed by clay minerals. Further evaluation is also required for influences on S<sub>s</sub> from monitoring bore construction (ie. screen and casing or grouting), and S<sub>s</sub> derived from tidal stresses (undrained or constant mass conditions) that could underestimate S<sub>s</sub> applicable to groundwater pumping (drained or changing mass conditions). In summary, poroelastic effects that are often neglected in groundwater studies are clearly important for quantifying water flow and storage in strata with changing hydraulic stress and loading conditions. </p>

A Discussion on the measurement and interpretation of changes of strain in the Earth - Role of pore fluids in faulting

1973 ◽  
Vol 274 (1239) ◽  
pp. 297-304 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Pore Pressure ◽  
San Andreas Fault ◽  
Fault Creep ◽  
Time Constants ◽  
San Andreas ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Shallow Earthquakes ◽  
Pressure Changes

We consider three in situ processes which involve fluid flow in the crust: fault creep, aftershocks and dilatancy. Measurements of water level in wells suggest that creep events on the San Andreas fault are coupled with pore pressure changes. Readjustment of transient pore pressure, induced by large shallow earthquakes, possess the correct time constants and magnitudes to explain the occurrence of aftershocks. And finally, temporal changes of travel times in the Gram district (U.S.S.R.) imply that dilatancy may occur in situ.

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