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7A Pore Pressure Prediction
7A Pore Pressure Prediction
TAMU - Pemex
Contents
Porosity Shale Compaction Equivalent Depth Method Ratio Method Drilling Rate dC-Exponent Moores Technique Combs Method
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Transitio n 2. Extrapolate normal trend line 3. Determine the magnitude of the deviation
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Older shales have had more time to compact, so porosities would tend to be lower (at a particular depth). Use the trend line closest to the transition. Lines may or may not be parallel.
Equivalent Depth Method The normally compacted shale at depth De has the same compaction as the abnormally pressured shale at D. Thus,
V
De
=
o b
V e
i.e.,
- pp =
o b
o b e o b e
- pne )
pp = pne + ( D
o b
+ pp
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Example 2.6
Estimate the pore pressure at 10,200 if the equivalent depth is 9,100. The normal pore pressure gradient is 0.433 psi/ft. The overburden gradient is 1.0 psi/ft. At 9,100, pne = 0.433 * 9,100 = 3,940 psig At 9,100,
o b e
At 10,200,
o b
Solution
pp = pne + (
o b
o b e
) . (2.13)
= 3,940 + (10,200 9,100) pp = 5,040 psig The pressure gradient, 5,040/10,200 = 0.494 psi/ft EMW = 0.494/0.052 = 9.5 ppg
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gp =
sonic speeds
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12
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Seismic Surveys, as used in conventional geophysical prospecting, can yield much information about underground structures, and depths to those structures. Faults, diapirs, etc. may indicate possible locations of abnormal pressures
15
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Under normal compaction, density increases with depth. For this reason the interval velocity also increases with depth, so travel time decreases t = tma (1- ) + tf
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Sound moves faster in more dense medium In air at sea level, Vsound = 1,100 ft/sec In distilled water, Vsound = 4,600 ft/sec In low density, high porosity rocks, Vsound = 6,000
ft/sec
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Example 2.7
Use the data in Table 2.7 to determine the top of the transition zone, and estimate the pore pressure at 19,000
using the equivalent depth method using Pennebakers empirical correlation
Ignore the data between 9,000 and 11,000. Assume Eatons Gulf Coast overburden gradient.
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Solution
Plot interval travel time vs. depth on semilog paper (Fig. 2.31) Plot normal trend line using the 9,000 data. 6,000-
Equivalent Depth Method: Use Ignore From the vertical line, De = 2,000
o b e
= 0.875 * 2,000
=1,750 (Fig. 2.20) But, pne = 0.465 * 2,000 = 930 psig tn to pp = 930 + (18,905-1,750) pp = 18,085 psig
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Fig. 2.30
Pennebakers correlation for Gulf Coast sediments Higher travel time means more porosity and higher pore pressure gradient Example 2.7 (Table 2.7) to = 95 sec/ft @ 19,000 tn = 65 sec/ft @ 19,000 to/ tn = 95/65 = 1.46
0.95
Comparison
Pore Pressure at a depth of 19,000 ft: Pennebaker: 18,050 psi or 0.950 psi/ft or 18.3 ppg Equivalent Depth Method: 18,085 psi or 0.952 psi/ft or 18.3 ppg
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While Drilling
dc-exponent MWD & LWD Kicks Other drilling rate factors (Table 2.5)
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TABLE 2.5 -
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TABLE 2.8 -
Note, that many factors can influence the drilling rate, and some of these factors are outside the control of the operator.
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Drilling rate increases more or less linearly with increasing bit weight. A significant deviation from this trend may be caused by poor bottom hole cleaning
0
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Decrease can be due to: The chip hold down effect The effect of wellbore pressure on rock strength
Differential pressure is the difference between wellbore pressure and pore fluid pressure
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The chip hold-down effect The mud pressure acting on the bottom of the hole tends to hold the rock chips in place
Important hold-down parameters: Overbalance Permeability Drilling fluid filtration rate Method of breaking rock (shear or crushing)
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TABLE 2.9 -
Drilling rates are influenced by rock strengths. Only drilling rates in relatively clean shales are useful for predicting abnormal pore pressures.
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ob is in general the maximum in situ principal stress. Since the confining stresses H1 and increase with depth, rock strength increases.
H 2
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The degree of overbalance now controls the strength of the rock ahead of the bit.
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Rock failure caused by roller cone bit. The differential pressure from above provides the normal stress, o
Formation fracture is resisted by the shear stress, o, which is a function of the rock cohesion and the friction between the plates. This friction depends on o.
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When ob is replaced by phyd (lower) the rock immediately below the bit will undergo an increase in pore volume, associated with a reduction in pore pressure. In sandstone this pressure is increased by fluid loss from the mud. 38
W R = K3 N d b
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W R = K3 N d b
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d-exponent
The d-exponent normalizes R for any variations in W, db and N Under normal compaction, R should decrease with depth. This would cause d to increase with depth. Any deviation from the trend could be caused by abnormal pressure.
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d-exponent
Mud weight also affects R.. An adjustment to d may be made: dc = d ( where dc = exponent corrected for mud density
n n
/ c)
Example
While drilling in a Gulf Coast shale, R = 50 ft/hr W = 20,000 lbf N = 100 RPM ECD = 10.1 ppg db = 8.5 in Calculate d and dc
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Solution
50 log 2.079 60 * 100 d= = 12 * 20,000 1.554 log 6 10 * 8.5 d = 1.34 0.465 dc = 1.34 0.052 * 10.1 dc = 1.19
log R 60 N d= 12 W log 10 6 d b
n dc = d c
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Example 2.9
Predict pore pressure at 6,050 ft (ppg): from data in Table 2.10 using:
Rhem and McClendons correlation Zamoras correlation The equivalent depth method
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TABLE 2.10 d-EXPONENT AND MUD DENSITY DATA FOR A WELL LOCATED OFFSHORE LOUISIANA
46
Step 1 is to plot the data on Cartesian paper (Fig. 2.43). Transition at 4,700 ft? or is it a fault? Seismic data and geological indicators suggest a possible transition at 5,700 ft.
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Fig. 2.43
Slope of 0.000038 ft-1
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Zamora
From Fig. 2.44 gp = gn (dcn/ dco ) = 0.465 * (1.18/.95) gp = 0.578 psi/ft
0.95 1.18
p p
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Perhaps the equivalent depth method is not always suitable for pp prediction using dc !!
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Overlays such as this can be handy, but be careful that the scale is correct for the graph paper being used; the slope is correct for normal trends; the correct overlay for the formation is utilized.
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Moores Technique
Fig. 2.45 Moore proposed a practical method for maintaining a pore-pressure overbalance while drilling into a transition.
Combs Method
Combs attempted to improve on the use of drilling rate for pore pressure by correcting for:
hydraulics differential pressure bit wear
Combs Method
W N q ( ) ( ) R = Rd f p f t d N 3,500 d 200 96 d d b b n
q = circulating rate dn = diameter of one bit nozzle f(pd) = function related to the differential pressure f(tN) = function related to bit wear aW = bit weight exponent = 1.0 for offshore Louisiana aN = rotating speed exponent = 0.6 for offshore Louisiana aq = flow rate exponent = 0.3 for offshore Louisiana
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aW
aN
aq
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