SUBSURFACE

ENVIRONMENTS
Instructor: Nawarat Intarapanich
Course : Basic Petroleum Geology
Talk Outlines
 Subsurface Water
 Subsurface Temperature
 Subsurface Pressure
 Subsurface Fluid Dynamics
Subsurface Water
 Free Water
 Free to move in or out
of pores in response
to pressure
differential.
 Interstitial or
Irreducible water
 Bonded to mineral
grains
 Can’t be removed
during HC production
Subsurface Water
 Chemistry of
Subsurface waters
 Eh & pH
Subsurface Water
 Chemistry of
Subsurface waters
ppm
mg / liter   Concentration
 Salinity;total of
density dissolved solids
 Sea Water has
approximately 35,000
ppm.
 Connate water salinity
in sand generally
increase with depth
 Subsurface Water
 Chemistry of Subsurface waters
 Contain varying
 Composition
concentrations of
inorganic salts, traces
of organic compounds
including hydrocarbon

 Regional mapping of its

composition can lead
to locating the
migration pathways
and new HC fields
 Subsurface Temperature
 BHT = Bottom Hole
Temperature
 True stabilized
temperature from
Horner Plot (Fertl
& Wichmann (1977)
t
t  t 
T=number of hours since circulation & logging
Delta t = hours of mud circulation at that depth
Geothermal Gradient
 Plot corrected BHT’s
versus Depth at
various depth
 Range from 1.8 to
5.5 degree C/100m
 Global Average 2.6
degree C/100m

Y  a x   b
You can find temperature at any depth
Geothermal Gradient & Heat flow
Heat flow = Geothermal Gradient x thermal conductivity of the rock
Local Thermal Variations
 Controlling factors
1. Nonplanar geometry
of sediments
2. Movement of Fluids
3. Regional variations
of Heat Flow
Regional Thermal Variations
 Controlled by  Affect petroleum
tectonics generation
Subsurface Pressure
 Measurement while
drilling
 Drilling (d) exponent logR / 60N 
plot by Jordan & dexponent 
log12W / 106 D 
Shirley, 1966) R = rate of penetration (ft/hr)
 Aim to detect N = rotary speed (rpm)
W= weight on bit (lb)
abnormal pressure D = diameter of borehole (inches)
 Practical in drilling
D exponent Plot
Some overpressure indicators
Basic Principles
 Force per unit area
acting on a surface
Terzakhi’s Law
(kg/cm2 or psi) s=p+o
 Overburden s =Overburden Pressure
p = Lithostatic Pressure

pressure
o = Fluid Pressure

 Lithostaticpressure
 Fluid pressure
 Hydrostatic
 hydrodynamic
Fluid Pressure
In oil industry fluid pressure is  In fact, there are 2
generally calculated as types of fluid
follows:
pressure
 Hydrostatic
P = 0.052 x wt x D
 Hydrodynamic

P = Hydrostatic Pressure (psi)

wt = mud weight (lb/gal)
D = Depth (feet)
 2 types of fluid pressure
 Hydrostatic pressure is  Hydrodynamic
imposed by a column of pressure gradient
fluid at rest caused by fluid flow
Fresh water or density =  Potentiometric or
1, the hydrostatic
gradient is 0.433 psi/ft
piezometric level is
 Brine water
calculated as
(55,000ppm), the follows:
hydrostatic gradient is Elevation to potentiometric level 
P
 D  E 
0.45 psi/ft W
P= bottom hole pressure (psi)
 Temperature dependent W= weight of fluid (psi/ft)
D= Depth (ft)
E= Elevation of kelly bushing above sea level (ft)
Hydrodynamic pressure
Hydrodynamic pressure
Hydrostatic Pressure
If a 10,000ft hole contains
drilling fluid with a weight of
11.5 ppg (pound/gallon), the
hydrostatic pressure at the
bottom hole is
Assume a formation at 10,000ft has
a known hydrostatic pressure of
6292 psi. The mud weight
needed to drill this formation
“balanced” (hydrostatic pressure
equal to formation pressure) is
calculated as follows:

P=0.052 x MW x D MW= P/(0.052 x D)

P=0.052 x 11.5 x MW= 6292/(0.052 x
10,000 10,000)
P=5,980 psi MW = 12.1 ppg.
Killing weight of mud
Assume a well has taken a kick at 10,000 ft
while drilling with 11.5 ppg mud. The well
shut-in and the drill pipe pressure reads 312
psi. The excess in ppg mud weight equivalent
is calculated as follows:
MW = 312/(0.052 x 10,000) = 0.6 ppg
To kill the well you need MW = 11.5 + 0.6 ppg
=12.1 ppg or greater to overcome that kick.
Further study
 Find more detail in the reference texts
 You will see more in Petroleum Engineering
Class next 2-3 weeks!