Analyzing a suitable elastic geomechanical model for Vaca Muerta Formation

Massaro, Agustin Sosa; Espinoza, D. Nicolas; Frydman, Marcelo; Barredo, Silvia; Cuervo, Sergio

doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2017.09.011

Cited by 16 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The Poisson ratio anisotropy was about 13.6 % . All these values were in agreement with rock's properties found in the literature for a shale formation like Vaca Muerta, in the Neuquina Basin in Argentina (see, eg, Kosset and Sosa Massaro et al).…”

Section: Numerical Methods and Simulation Modelsupporting

confidence: 89%

Fracture behavior of transversely isotropic rocks with discrete weak interfaces

Celleri

Sánchez²,

Otegui

2018

Num Anal Meth Geomechanics

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Summary Anisotropic rocks have gained increasing attention due to the development of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs. This type of reservoir requires complex engineering procedures from drilling to completion, and the mechanical properties of the rocks play a significant role. One of the most important characteristics of unconventional formations is the presence of well‐defined layers, which greatly modify both elastic and fracture properties of the rocks. Rock elastic response is direction dependent, commonly described as vertically transversely isotropic (VTI), meaning that there is an isotropic plane of symmetry with respect to the vertical direction. Between layers, calcitic veins or ash beds alter the rock's properties substantially. These interfaces, which can have low or no cohesion at all, act as preferential planes for fracture nucleation and propagation, affecting the rocks strength. In this work, the fracture behavior of VTI rocks with weak interfaces is studied using numerical simulations of brazilian tests. A hybrid discontinuous Galerkin–cohesive zone model was used to simulate fracture initiation and propagation on discs in the presence of weak planes. With this approach, we determined the effective brazilian test strength of the rocks under different conditions, namely, relative angles between layers and the loading direction, densities, and cohesion of weak interfaces. Shear reactivation of the interfaces is analyzed using the Mohr‐Coulomb failure criterion and Mohr circles.

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Section: Numerical Methods and Simulation Modelsupporting

confidence: 89%

Fracture behavior of transversely isotropic rocks with discrete weak interfaces

Celleri

Sánchez²,

Otegui

2018

Num Anal Meth Geomechanics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Clay content is usually less than 30%, with carbonate and quartz content that vary from 10 to 80% [6]. The calcite content is inversely proportional to the clay content [8]. The prediction of bulk mass density ρbulk is a straightforward volume average of the constituents.…”

Section: Bulk Mass Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The chosen volume fractions correspond to trends interpreted from the values measured by ref. [8]. Other assumptions include: porosity filled with a fluid with ρf = 1 g/cm 3 , ρkerogen = 1.4 g/cm 3 , ρquartz = 2.65 g/cm 3 , ρcarbonate = 2.78 g/cm 3 (calcite and dolomite average), and ρclay = 2.2 g/cm 3 taking into account bound water porosity and density.…”

Section: Bulk Mass Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These two depths are characterized by low volume fraction of clay and kerogen. An alternative and more accurate approach consists in correlating all the anisotropic stiffness coefficients Cij to predict mechanical stratigraphy and anisotropy [3,8]. The method employed in this paper highlights the influence of mineralogy through a direct relationship between stiffness and mineralogy.…”

Section: Mechanical Stratigraphymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The total thickness varies from 200 m to 600 m increasing in NW direction. The formation is comprised by various rock lithologies formed in a marine environment with majority of mudstones, marls, limestones, and organic shales and minority of igneous sills and veins of fibrous calcite, usually referred to as "beef" [7][8]. The predominant minerals are quartz, calcite and illite clay.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geomechanical properties of the Vaca Muerta Formation

Espinoza

2020

E3S Web Conf.

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Unconventional oil and gas resources have transformed the energy industry in the United States. Likewise, other countries have followed up with hydrocarbon exploitation from tight unconventional formations. One of the most developed unconventional fields outside North America is the Vaca Muerta Formation in the Neuquén Basin, Argentina. This study summarizes experimental results of quasi-static loading and elastic wave propagation in rocks from the Vaca Muerta Formation along the entire producing interval. The work summarizes experimental results from our laboratory and from the literature. The results highlight the variability of mechanical properties with mineralogy and composition, and the mechanical anisotropy induced by layering. The discussion section explores the implications of spatial variability and anisotropy on in-situ stresses and fluid-driven fractures. Accurate characterization of rock mechanical properties is critical for predicting the geometry of fluid-driven fractures in unconventional rock formations, particularly those subjected to a tectonically active environment such as the Vaca Muerta Formation.

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Seismicity at Newdigate, Surrey, during 2018-2019: A candidate mechanism indicating causation by nearby oil production

Westaway

2020

Preprint

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During 2018-2019, oil was intermittently produced from the Late Jurassic Upper Portland Sandstone in the Weald Basin, southeast England, via the Horse Hill-1 and Brockham-X2Y wells. Concurrently, a sequence of earthquakes of magnitude ≤3.25 occurred near Newdigate, $3 km and $8 km from these wells. The pattern, with earthquakes concentrated during production from this Portland reservoir, suggests a cause-and-effect connection. It is proposed that this seismicity occurred on a patch of fault transecting permeable Dinantian limestone, beneath the Jurassic succession of the Weald Basin, hydraulically connected to this reservoir via this permeable fault and the permeable calcite 'beef' fabric within the Portland sandstone; oil production depressurizes this reservoir and draws groundwater from the limestone, compacting it and 'unclamping' the fault, reaching the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion and causing seismicity. In principle this model is fully testable, but required data, notably the history of pressure variations in the wells, are not currently in the public domain. Quantitative estimates are, nonetheless, made of the magnitudes of the variations, arising from production from each well, in the state of stress on the seismogenic Newdigate fault. The general principles of this model, including the incorporation of poroelastic effects and effects of fault asperities into Mohr-Coulomb failure calculations, may inform understanding of anthropogenic seismicity in other settings.

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Analyzing a suitable elastic geomechanical model for Vaca Muerta Formation

Cited by 16 publications

References 16 publications

Fracture behavior of transversely isotropic rocks with discrete weak interfaces

Fracture behavior of transversely isotropic rocks with discrete weak interfaces

Geomechanical properties of the Vaca Muerta Formation

Seismicity at Newdigate, Surrey, during 2018-2019: A candidate mechanism indicating causation by nearby oil production

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