Fracture Gradient Determination

Fracture Gradient Determination

• Hubbert and Willis

• Matthews and Kelly
• Ben Eaton
• Christman
• Prentice
• Leak-Off Test (experimental)
Fracture Gradient Determination

• Read AWC Chapter 4 all

 Well Planning
• Safe drilling practices require that the following
be considered when planning a well:
– Pore pressure determination
– Fracture gradient determination
– Casing setting depth
– Casing design
– H2S considerations
– Contingency planning
 The Hubbert & Willis Equation
• Provides the basis of fracture theory and
prediction used today.
• Assumed elastic behavior.
• Assumed effective stress exceeds the
minimum by a factor of 3.
 The Hubbert & Willis Equation
• If the overburden is maximum, the assumed
horizontal stress is:
• σH = 1/3(σob - pp) + pp
• Equating fracture propagation pressure to
minimum stress gives
• pfp = 1/3(σob - pp) + pp
 The Hubbert & Willis Equation
• pfp = 1/3(σob - 2pp) (minimum)

• pfp = 1/2(σob - pp) (maximum)

 Matthews and Kelly
• Developed the concept of variable ratio
between the effective horizontal and vertical
stresses, not a constant 1/3 as in H & W.
• Stress ratios increase according to the
degree of compaction
• σeH = KMKσev
 Matthews and Kelly
• σeH = KMKσev
• KMK = matrix stress coefficient

• Including pore pressure

• σH = KMK(σob - pp) + pp
 Matthews and Kelly
• Equating fracture initiation pressure to the
minimum in situ horizontal stress gives
• pfi = KMK(σob - pp) + pp
• and
• gfi = KMK(gob - gp) + gp
 Example 4.8
• Given: Table 4.4 (Offshore LA)
• Estimate fracture initiation gradient at 8110’
and 15,050’ using Matthews and Kelly
correlation
 Example 4.8
For 8110’
gfi = 0.69(1 - .465) + .465
gfi = 0.834 psi/ft

For the undercompacted

interval at 15,050’, the
equivalent depth is
KMK = 0.61 determined by:

KMK = 0.69 De =
[15050-(.815*15050)]/.535
= 5204’
 Example 4.8
• gfi = 0.61*(1-.815)+.815 = .928 psi/ft

• Note: Overburden gradient was assumed to

be 1.0 psi/ft
 Penebaker’s Gulf Coast
• gfi = Kp(gob - gp) + gp

• where Kp is Penebaker’s effective stress

ratio
Penebaker’s overburden
gradient from Gulf
Coast region

Depth where
∆t = 100 µsec/ft
Penebaker’s Effective Stress Ratio
 Example 4.9
• Re-work Example 4.8 using Penebaker’s
correlations where the travel time of 100
µsec/ft is at 10,000’
 Example 4.9
• At 8110’
• gfi = 0.77(0.945 - 0.465) + 0.465
• gfi = 0.835 psi/ft
• At 15050’
• gfi = 0.94(0.984 - 0.815) + 0.815
• gfi = 0.974 psi/ft
 Eaton’s Gulf Coast Correlation
• Based on offshore LA in moderate water
depths
⎛ µE ⎞
g fi = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟(g ob − g p ) + g p
⎝1− µE ⎠
Note the bracketed Poisson' s ratio term
is an effective stress ratio
Mitchell’s approximation
Mitchell’s approximation
Mitchell’s approximation
Example 4.10
Example 4.10
 Summary
• Note that all the methods take into
consideration the pore pressure gradient.

• As the pore pressure increases, so does the

fracture gradient
 Summary
• Hubbert and Willis apparently consider only
the variation in pore pressure gradient.

• Matthews and Kelly also consider the

changes in rock matrix stress coefficient
and the matrix stress
 Summary
• Ben Eaton considers variation in pore
pressure gradient, overburden stress, and
Poisson’s ratio.

• It is probably the most accurate of the three.

 Summary
• The last two are quite similar and yield
similar results.

• None consider the effect of water depth.

 Christman’s approach
• Christman took into consideration the effect
of water depth on overburden stress.
 Example 4.11
• Estimate the fracture gradient for a
formation located 1490’ BML. Water depth
is 768’, air gap is 75’.
• Repeat for water depth of 1500’
Example 4.11
Example 4.11
 Christman
• Christman also noted that anomalously low
fracture gradients seemed to be associated
with formation having low bulk densities
for the burial depth. He then developed the
correlation in Fig 4.45
 Example 4.12
• Re-work the first part of Example 4.11 if
the logged bulk density at 1490’ BML is
2.08 g/cc
gfi = 0.6 * (0.73-0.452) + 0.452
gfi = 0.619 psi/ft
 Prentice method
• Water depth of 1000’

• Total depth = 4000’

• Water gap = 200’

 Prentice method
• Convert the water depth to an equivalent
section of formation.
– E.g. 1000’ * 0.465 psi/ft = 465 psi

• From Eaton’s overburden stress chart the

stress gradient at 4000’ equals 0.89 psi/ft
 Prentice method
• 465 psi/0.89 psi/ft = 522’ equivalent depth

• Calculate and convert apparent fracture

gradient to actual fracture gradient
522’ + 3000’ = 3522’ equivalent
 Prentice method
• From Eaton’s fracture gradient chart, the
gradient at 3522’ = 13.92 ppg
• or
• Fracture pressure = 0.052 * 13.92 * 3522
• = 2549 psi
 Prentice method
• The effective fracture gradient from the
mud flow line at the drill ship deck to the
casing seat is:
• 2549 * 19.23/(200 + 1000 + 3000)
• = 11.67 ppg
• F = 2549/4200 = 0.607 psi/ft
• 0.607/.052 = 11.67 ppg
 Experimental Determination
• Leak-off test, LOT, - pressure test in which
we determine the amount of pressure
required to initiate a fracture

• Pressure Integrity Test, PIT, pressure test in

which we only want to determine if a
formation can withstand a certain amount of
pressure without fracturing.
??
PIT
How much surface pressure will be
required to test the casing seat to a
10.0 ppg 14.0 ppg equivalent?

ps = (EMW - MW) * 0.052 * TVDshoe

ps = (14.0 - 10.0) * 0.052 * 4000
4000’ ps = 832 psi
LOT
 Rupture

Leak-off

Propagation
Example 4.22 - 2
Interpret the leak-off test.
 Solution
• Pfi = 1730 + .483*5500 - 50
• 1730 psi = leak off pressure
• 0.483 psi/ft = mud gradient in well
• 5500’ depth of casing seat
• 50 psi = pump pressure to break circulation
• Pfi = 4337 psi = 0.789 psi/ft = 15.17 ppg
 What could cause this?

Poor Cement Job

 Example
• Surface hole is drilled
to 1500’ and pipe is 9.5 ppg
set. About 20’ of new
hole is drilled after
cementing. The shoe 1500’
needs to hole 14.0 ppg
equivalent on a leak
off test. Mud in the
hole has a density of
9.5 ppg.
 Example
• What surface pressure do we need to test to
a 14.0 ppg equivalent?

• (14.0 - 9.5) * .052 * 1500 = 351 psi

 Example
• The casing seat is tested to a leak off
pressure of 367 psi. What EMW did the
shoe actually hole?

• 367/.052/1500 + 9.5 = 14.2 ppg EMW

 Example
• After drilling for some
time, TD is now 4500’ 10.2 ppg
and the mud weight is
10.2 ppg. What is the
1500’
maximum casing
pressure that the
casing seat can
withstand without 4500’
fracturing?
 Example
• Max. CP = (EMW - MW) * .052 * TVDshoe

• Max. CP = (14.2 - 10.2) * .052 * 1500

• Max. CP = 312 psi

 Example
• Now we are at a TD of 7500 with a mud
weight of 13.7 ppg. What is the maximum
CP that the shoe can withstand?

• Max. CP = (14.2 - 13.7) * .052 * 1500

• Max. CP = 39 psi