7. Abnormal Pressure 661.

Drilling Engineering Slide 1

PETE 661

Drilling Engineering
Lesson 7
Abnormal Pressure
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 2
Abnormal Pressure
- Definition, Causes -
Normal Pore Pressures
Abnormal Pore Pressure Gradients
Fracture Gradients
Mud Weights
Casing Seat Depths
What Causes Abnormal Pressure?
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 3
HW # 5
Casing Design
Due 10-10-03
Read:

Applied Drilling Engineering, Ch. 6
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 4
Abnormal
Pressure
Gradients
Normal Pressure Gradients
West Texas: 0.433 psi/ft
Gulf Coast: 0.465 psi/ft
Normal and Abnormal Pore Pressure
Pore Pressure, psig
D
e
p
t
h
,


f
t

10,000
? ?
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 5
Pore Pressure vs. Depth
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Pore Pressure Equivalent, lb/gal
0


5,000


10,000


15,000


20,000
{ Density of mud required to control this pore pressure }
Normal
Abormal
0.433 psi/ft 8.33 lb/gal
0.465 psi/ft 9.0 lb/gal
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 6
Pore Pressure
Gradient
Fracture Gradient
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 7
* Pore
Pressure
Gradients

* Fracture
Gradients

* Casing
Setting
Depths
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 8
Some Causes of Abnormal Pressure
1. Incomplete compaction of sediments
Fluids in sediments have not
escaped and are still helping to
support the overburden.
2. Tectonic movements
Uplift
Faulting
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 9
Some Causes of Abnormal Pressure
3. Aquifers in Mountainous Regions
Aquifer recharge is at higher
elevation than drilling rig location.
4. Charged shallow reservoirs due to
nearby underground blowout.

5. Large structures...
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 10
HIGH PRESSURE
NORMAL PRESSURE
Thick, impermeable layers of shale (or salt) restrict the movement
of water. Below such layers abnormal pressure may be found.
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 11
HIGH PRESSURE
NORMAL PRESSURE
Hydrostatic pressure gradient is lower in gas or oil than in water.
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 12
When crossing faults it is possible to go from normal
pressure to abnormally high pressure in a short interval.
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 13
Well A found only Normal Pressure ...
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 14
o
OB
= p + o
Z

o
ob

p o
z

7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 15
?
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 16
Indications of Abnormal Pore Pressures
Methods:

1. Seismic data
2. Drilling rate
3. Sloughing shale
4. Gas units in mud
5. Shale density
6. Chloride content
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 17
Indications of Abnormal Pore Pressures
Methods, contd:

7. Change in Mud properties
8. Temperature of Mud Returns
9. Bentonite content in shale
10. Paleo information
11. Wire-line logs
12. MWD-LWD
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 18
Prediction and Detection of Abnormal
Pressure Zones
1. Before drilling
Shallow seismic surveys
Deep seismic surveys
Comparison with nearby wells
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 19
Prediction and Detection of Abnormal
Pressure Zones
2. While drilling
Drilling rate, gas in mud, etc. etc.
D

- Exponent
D
C
- Exponent
MWD - LWD
Density of shale (cuttings)
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 20
Prediction and Detection of Abnormal
Pressure Zones
3. After drilling
Resistivity log
Conductivity log
Sonic log
Density log
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 21
.
.
S
D 000085 . 0
e 41 . 0

= |
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 22
Decreasing ROP
What is d-
exponent?
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 23
D - Exponent
The
drilling rate
equation:
Where
R = drilling rate, ft/hr
K = drillability constant
N = rotary speed, RPM
E = rotary speed expon.
W = bit weight, lbs
D
B
= bit diameter, in
D = bit wt. Exponent
or D - exponent
D
B
E
D
W
N K R
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 24
D - Exponent
If we assume that K = 1
and E = 1

Then
D
B
E
D
W
N K R
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
B
D
W
log
N
R
log
D
D
B
D
W
N
R
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 25
D - Exponent
A modified version of this equation
follows:
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
B
6
D 10
W 12
log
N 60
R
log
d
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 26
Example
Calculate the value of the d - exponent if
the drilling rate is 35 ft/hr, the rotary RPM is
100, and the weight on the 12 1/4 bit is
60,000 lbs.
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
B
6
D 10
W 12
log
N 60
R
log
d
2308 . 1
2341 . 2
25 . 12 10
000 , 60 * 12
log
100 * 60
35
log
6

=
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
d = 1.82
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 27
Example
What happens to d if R doubles to 70 ft/hr?






Note that an increase in R resulted in a decrease in d.
Doubling R decreased d from 1.82 to 1.57
57 1
2308 1
9331 1
25 12 10
000 60 12
100 60
70
6
.
.
.
.
, *
log
*
log
d =

=
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 28
Example
d may be Corrected for mud density
as follows:
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
) ppg ( use in weight mud actual
) ppg ( gradient normal for weight mud
d d
c
37 . 1
12
9
* 82 . 1
12
9
d d ., g . e
c
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 29
Procedure for Determining Pore
Pressure From d
c
- Exponent
Calculate d
c
over 10-30 ft intervals
Plot d
c
vs depth (use only date from
Clean shale sections)
Determine the normal line for the
d
c
vs. depth plot.
Establish where d
c
deviates from the
normal line to determine abnormal
pressure zone
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 30
Procedure for Determining Pore
Pressure From d
c
- Exponent
d
c
- Exponent
D
e
p
t
h

Normal
Abnormal
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 31
Procedure for Determining Pore
Pressure From d
c
- Exponent
If possible, quantify the magnitude of the
abnormal pore pressure using
overlays, or Ben Eatons Method
Pore
Pressure
Grad.
Overburden
Stress Grad.
Normal Pore
Pressure Grad.
2 . 1
c
c
n
normal d
calculated d
D
P
D
S
D
S
D
P
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 32
In normally pressured
shales, shale
compaction increases
with depth
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 33
Shale Density - Mud Cup Method
1. Fill mud cup with shale until the weight is 8.33.
2. Fill to top with water, and record the reading W
tot.

Note: Dry sample carefully with towel.
Do not apply heat.
tot
W 66 . 16
33 . 8
Gravity . Spec

=
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 34
Alternate Method: Use variable density column.
See p. 270 in text
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 35
Pore Pressure from
Resistivity
Shale resistivity plots
may be developed
from (i) logs or
(ii) cuttings
What is the pore
pressure at the point
indicated on the plot?
[Assume Gulf Coast].
Depth=10,000 ft
0.2 0.5 1 2 3
10,000
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 36
From plot, R
n
= 1.55 ohms
R
obs
= 0.80 ohms

From Eaton:
EATON
2 . 1
n
obs
n
R
R
D
P
D
S
D
S
D
P
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
( )
2 . 1
55 . 1
80 . 0
465 . 0 95 . 0 95 . 0
D
P
|
.
|

\
|
=
= 0.7307 psi/ft = 14.05 lb/gal
P = 0.7307 * 10,000 = 7,307 psi
0.2 0.5 1 2 3
10,000
D
e
p
t
h
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 37
Prediction of
Abnormal Pore Pressure
Resistivity of Shale
Temperature in the Return Mud
Drilling Rate Increase
d
c
- Exponent
Sonic Travel Time
Conductivity of Shale
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 38
EXAMPLE

Shale Resistivity
vs. Depth

1. Establish normal
trend line

2. Look for
deviations


(semi-log)
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 39
Shale Resistivity
vs. Depth

1. Establish normal
trend line

2. Look for
deviations

3. Use OVERLAY
to quantify
pore pressure
(use with caution)
Pore Pressure
(lb/gal equivalent)
16 14 12 10
9 ppg
(normal)
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 40
Example
8.2 X
Why?
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 41
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 42
AP = (P
2
- P
1
)1,000


Effect of Differential Pressure
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 43
Typical Drilling Rate Profiles - Shale
The drilling rate in a normally
pressured, solid shale
section will generally
generate a very steady and
smooth drilling rate curve.

The penetration rate will be
steady and not erratic
(normally pressured, clean
shale).
Shale
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 44
Typical Drilling Rate Profiles
Note:
If you are drilling overbalanced in a transition it
will be very difficult to pick up the
transition zone initially.
This will allow you to move well into the
transition zone before detecting the problem.

Any deviation from the expected decrease in
ddilling rate with depth, when you are drilling in a
clean shale, might indicate a transition zone.
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 45
Typical Drilling Rate Profiles
This could cause you to move into a permeable
zone which would probably result in a kick.

The conditions you create with overbalanced
hydrostatic head will so disguise the pending
danger that you may not notice the small
effect of the drilling rate curve change. This
will allow you to move well into that transition
zone without realizing it.
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 46
Determination of Abnormal Pore
Pressure Using the d
c
- exponent
From Ben Eaton:
2 . 1
cn
c
n
d
d
D
P
D
S
D
S
D
P
|
|
.
|

\
|
(

|
.
|

\
|
=
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 47
Where
trend normal the from onent exp d d
plot from ent expon d actual d
psi/ft gradient, stress overburden
D
S
psi/ft 0.465, or 0.433 e.g.,
area in gradient water normal
D
P
psi/ft gradient, pressure formation
D
P
c cn
c c
n
=
=
=
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
2 . 1
cn
c
n
d
d
D
P
D
S
D
S
D
P
|
|
.
|

\
|
(

|
.
|

\
|
=
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 48
Example
Calculate the pore
pressure at depth X using
the data in this graph.

Assume:
West Texas location with
normal overburden of
1.0 psi/ft.
X = 12,000 ft.
X
1.2 1.5
d
c

7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 49
Example
From Ben Eaton:
psi/ft 5662 . 0
D
P
5 . 1
2 . 1
] 433 . 0 0 . 1 [ 0 . 1
d
d
D
P
D
S
D
S
D
P
2 . 1
2 . 1
cn
c
n
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
(

|
.
|

\
|
=
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 50
Example
lbm/gal 9 . 10
12,000 x 0.052
6794
EMW
psi 6794 000 , 12 x 5662 . 0 P
= =
= =
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 51
E.S. Pennebaker
Used seismic field data for the
detection of abnormal pressures.

Under normally pressured conditions the
sonic velocity increases with depth.
(i.e. Travel time decreases with depth)

(why?)
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 52
E.S. Pennebaker
Any departure from this trend is an
indication of possible abnormal
pressures.

Pennebaker used overlays to estimate
abnormal pore pressures from the
difference between normal and actual
travel times.
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 53
Interval Travel Time, sec per ft
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 54
Ben Eaton
also found a way to determine pore pressure
from interval travel times.

Example:
In a Gulf Coast well, the speed of sound is 10,000
ft/sec at a depth of 13,500 ft. The normal speed
of sound at this depth, based on extrapolated
trends, would be 12,000 ft/sec. What is the pore
pressure at this depth?

Assume: S/D = 1.0 psi/ft
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 55
Ben Eaton
From Ben Eaton,
psi/ft 0.6904
12,000
10,000
0.465] - [1.0 - 1.0
t
t
D
P
D
S
D
S
D
P
3
0 . 3
n
n
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
A
A
(

|
.
|

\
|
=
( At o 1/v )
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 56
Ben Eaton
From Ben Eaton




Note: Exponent is 3.0 this time,
NOT 1.2!
= (0.6904 / 0.052) = 13.28 lb/gal

p = 0.6904 * 13,500 = 9,320 psig
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 57
Equations for Pore Pressure Determination
2 . 1
c
c
n
normal d
calculated d
D
P
D
S
D
S
D
P
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
2 . 1
n
obs
n
R
R
D
P
D
S
D
S
D
P
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
ACTUAL
NORMAL
B
6
C
*
D 10
W 12
log
N 60
R
log
d
2 . 1
o
n
n
C
C
D
P
D
S
D
S
D
P
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
0 . 3
o
n
n
t
t
D
P
D
S
D
S
D
P
|
|
.
|

\
|
A
A
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 58
Pore Pressure Determination
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 59
EXAMPLE 3 - An Application...
Mud Weight = 10 lb/gal. (0.52 psi/ft)
Surface csg. Set at 2,500 ft.
Fracture gradient below surf. Csg = 0.73 psi/ft
Drilling at 10,000 ft in pressure transition zone
* Mud weight may be less than pore pressure!

DETERMINE Maximum safe underbalance
between mud weight and pore pressure if well
kicks from formation at 10,000 ft.
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 60
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 61
Problem #3 - Solution
When a well kicks, the well is shut in and the
wellbore pressure increases until the new
BHP equals the new formation pressure.
At that point influx of formation fluids into the
wellbore ceases.
Since the mud gradient in the wellbore has
not changed, the pressure increases
uniformly everywhere.
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 62
Wellbore Pressure, psi
D
e
p
t
h
,


f
t

AP
Casing Seat at 2,500 ft
Kick at 10,000 ft
Before Kick
After Kick and
Stabilization
525
525
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 63
At 2,500 ft
Initial mud pressure = 0.52 psi/ft * 2,500 ft = 1,300 psi
Fracture pressure = 0.73 psi/ft * 2,500 ft = 1,825 psi

Maximum allowable increase in pressure = 525 psi
At 10,000 ft
Maximum allowable increase in pressure = 525 psi
(since the pressure increases uniformly everywhere).

This corresponds to an increase in mud weight of
525 / (0.052 * 10,000) = 1.01 lb/gal
= maximum increase in EMW
= kick tolarance for a small kick size.
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 64
Wellbore Pressure, psi
D
e
p
t
h
,


f
t

AP
Casing Seat at 2,500 ft
Kick at 10,000 ft
1,300 psi
1,825 psi
5,725 psi
5,200 psi
7. Abnormal Pressure 661. Drilling Engineering Slide 65
Wellbore Pressure, psi
D
e
p
t
h
,


f
t

AP
Casing Seat at 2,500 ft
Kick at 10,000 ft
Before Kick
After Small Kick
and Stabilization
After Large Kick and Stabilization