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2024 | Book

Drilling Geomechanics in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs Near Salt Structures

From Pore-Pressure in Carbonates to Multiphysics Models

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About this book

This book explains different phenomena that occur in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs (NFRs) of carbonate rocks neighboring a salt structure and how it affects well drilling. Prediction of carbonate pore pressure is difficult; therefore, a new set of pore pressure equations for carbonates were developed, accounting for overpressure and depleted conditions. A detailed description of a fully coupled model is shown in order to discuss geomechanics and the coupling of fluid flow in porous media and to achieve a better representation of the mechanics involved in the exploitation of NFRs. Additionally, results of a new model of geomechanics in vuggy carbonate reservoirs are presented. This book also displays a wide discussion, analysis, and numerical implementation of six different salt rheology models. Furthermore, the most representative rheology salt models were studied aside with the fully coupled model of geomechanics and fluid flow in porous media. Finally, it presents an answer to areal case of a well drilled near a salt diapir where anomalous pore pressure was found.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter
1. Introduction
Abstract
This research project is aimed to shed light to physical phenomena that occur in naturally fractured carbonate reservoirs near salt structures and how it impacts well drilling. Some promising topics regarding the subject matter of this thesis are pore-pressure in carbonates, geomechanics in carbonate reservoirs and the perturbation of pore-pressure and stress fields near salt structures.
Juan Pedro Morales Salazar
2. Pore-Pressure for Carbonates
Abstract
Pore-pressure and stress distribution are coupled; pore fluid pressure affects the petrophysical properties of bulk rock and is a drive mechanism for hydrocarbon production. Rock pore-pressure also affects the strength of the rock (faulted, fractured or intact). When pore-pressure higher than the normal pressure is found (over-pressure), it could endanger drilling operations and narrow the operative window (OW), constraining the drilling mud weight.
Juan Pedro Morales Salazar
3. Coupled Geomechanics and Fluid Flow in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs
Abstract
Geomechanics and fluid flow in natural fractured reservoirs are so complex that simplified models must be used for their conceptual representation and simulation (Gong B (2007) Effective models of fractured systems. Ph.D. Thesis, Stanford University.). Flow in fractured rocks is simulated by a set of various models such as explicit fractured models (EFM), discrete fractured models (DFM), dual-permeability, dual-porosity, multipermeability and/or multiporosity models.
Juan Pedro Morales Salazar
4. Rheology of Salt Rocks
Abstract
Salt is an effective impermeable seal for trapped fluids, it is a viscous ductile material at pressure and temperature conditions. It can flow, deform and move across neighboring sediments. Plenty of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) hydrocarbon reserves (as well as on-shore locations in Mexico) are related to salt structures and in other places worldwide.
Juan Pedro Morales Salazar
5. Coupled Poroelasticity Viscoelasticity Model
Abstract
When drilling around salt structures the pore-pressure and stress fields are hugely disturbed in comparison with undisturbed values (regional stresses), and those anomalies are difficult to predict. Additionally, the locally distorted stress field owing to salt is impossible to predict by common geomechanical procedures, and more sophisticated models must be implemented to give insight to over-pressure generation and stress field anomalies.
Juan Pedro Morales Salazar
6. Conclusions
Abstract
This dissertation addresses the phenomena of pore-pressure in carbonate formations near salt structures. This chapter presents general conclusions of the work presented by this thesis, some recommendations and future research work.
Juan Pedro Morales Salazar
Backmatter
Metadata
Title
Drilling Geomechanics in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs Near Salt Structures
Author
Juan Pedro Morales Salazar
Copyright Year
2024
Electronic ISBN
978-3-031-56525-0
Print ISBN
978-3-031-56524-3
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-56525-0