Petroleum engineering department

Reservoir Geomechanics

Lecture №3: Pore pressure

 Learning objectives

Having worked through this chapter the student will be able to:

 Define the terms: Hydrostatic pressure; ‘Normal’ Pressure;

‘Abnormal’ Pressure;
 State the origins and mechanisms which generate overpressured
and underpressured reservoirs;
 Recognize the complex nature of pore pressure distribution in
compartmentalized reservoirs;
 Define the techniques used for pore pressure prediction.

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 Contents

3.1 FORMATION PORE PRESSURES

3.2 RESERVOIR COMPARTMENTALIZATION

3.3 ABNORMAL PRESSURES.

ORIGIN OF ABNORMAL PORE PRESSURES

3.4 PORE PRESSURE PREDICTION

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Definition of Pore Pressure

Figure 2.1 – pg.28

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 Definition of Pore Pressure

In most geographical areas the pore pressure

gradient is approximately 0.45 psi/ft (assumes
80,000 ppm salt content) and this pressure
gradient has been defined as the normal
pressure gradient.

When the pore fluids are normally pressured the

formation pore pressure is also said to be
hydrostatic.

Any formation pressure above or below the

points defined by this gradient are called
abnormal pressures (Figure 3).

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Overpressure at Depth

Monte Christo

Figure 2.2 – pg.30 6

 Overpressure at Depth

Pore pressures which are found to lie above or below the “normal” pore
pressure gradient line are called abnormal pore pressures (Figure 5 and 6).
These formation pressures may be either Subnormal (i.e. less than 0.45 psi/ft) or
Overpressured (i.e. greater than 0.45 psi/ft).

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 Overpressure at Depth

Pore pressures which are found to lie above or below the “normal” pore
pressure gradient line are called abnormal pore pressures (Figure 5 and 6).
These formation pressures may be either Subnormal (i.e. less than 0.45 psi/ft) or
Overpressured (i.e. greater than 0.45 psi/ft).

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 Why is pore pressure important?

Stress Magnitudes/Mud Windows at Depth

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Figure 1.4 d – pg.13
Pore Pressure Variations with Location and Depth

c)

Figure 2.3 – pg.31 10

 Contents

3.1 FORMATION PORE PRESSURES

3.2 RESERVOIR COMPARTMENTALIZATION

3.3 ABNORMAL PRESSURES.

ORIGIN OF ABNORMAL PORE PRESSURES

3.4 PORE PRESSURE PREDICTION

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Variations in Pore Pressure Within Compartments,
Each With ~Hydrostatic Gradients

Figure 2.4 – pg.32 12

N-S Cross Section

Figure 2.6 – pg.34

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Production-Induced Pore Pressure Variations Within
Compartments

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Overpressure at Depth – Can Gradients > Sv/z?

Monte Christo

Figure 2.2 – pg.30 15

 Contents

3.1 FORMATION PORE PRESSURES

3.2 RESERVOIR COMPARTMENTALIZATION

3.3 ABNORMAL PRESSURES.

ORIGIN OF ABNORMAL PORE PRESSURES

3.4 PORE PRESSURE PREDICTION

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 Mechanisms of Overpressure Generation

Disequilibrium Compaction Aquathermal Compaction

(compaction and (temperature increase)
porosity loss due to
burial is faster than fluid
flow and pressure Mineral diagenesis
equilibrium) (dehydration reaction
such as smectite to
Tectonic Compression illite)
(rapid increase in
tectonic loading)
Hydrocarbon maturation
(volumetric expansion
Hydrocarbon column heights
of kerogen to oil/gas)
(buoyancy of oil and gas)

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Disequilibrium Compaction

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The Centroid Effect

Figure 2.12 – pg. 43

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 Contents

3.1 FORMATION PORE PRESSURES

3.2 RESERVOIR COMPARTMENTALIZATION

3.3 ABNORMAL PRESSURES.

ORIGIN OF ABNORMAL PORE PRESSURES

3.4 PORE PRESSURE PREDICTION

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Shale Porosity as a Function of v

Figure 2.13 – pg. 46 21

Estimating Pore Pressure 1

Overpressure Results in Undercompaction

(Abnormally High Porosity) at Depth

Figure 2.14 – pg.48

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Potential Problem with Using Compaction Trends

Figure 2.18a – pg. 54 23

Shale Compaction Trends-Mahakam Delta, Indonesia

Figure 2.18 b – pg. 54 24

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 Estimating Pore Pressure 3

Estimating Pore Pressure from Interval

Velocity in Sands (with clay)

Vp  5.77 6.94 1.73 C  0.446(  e16.7 )

Vs  3.70 4.94 1.57 C  0.361(  e16.7)

Eberhart-Phillips, Han and Zoback (1989)

Equations 2.11 & 2.12 – pg. 53

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 References

[1] Zoback, M. (2007) Reservoir Geomechanics. New York:

Cambridge University Press

[2] Drilling engineering. (2015) Heriot-Watt Manual. Edinburgh

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