Comprehensive stability analysis of an inclined wellbore embedded in Colorado shale formation for thermal recovery

Li, Biao; Wong, R.C.K.; Xu, Bin; Yang, B.

doi:10.1016/j.ijrmms.2018.07.019

Cited by 9 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 24 publications

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“…They found that combining the control volume-based method and Galerkin FEM is more accurate in modeling multiphase flow in the deformable porous media; it has been found that this method preserves the local conservation of mass and is capable of handling complex geometries and heterogeneities. Li et al (2018) modeled the thermohydromechanical behavior of a transversely isotropic shale formation using the FEM. They showed that thermally induced pore pressure can be developed in the shale with high clay content and tend to the shear plastic yielding of the formation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a Geomechanics Program for Wellbore Stability Analysis

Saeidi

Dalkhani

2023

Int. J. Geomech.

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A geomechanics program for wellbore stability analysis has been developed consisting of two modules: an analytical-based solution and a numerical-based solution. In the first part, input data are imported, including petrophysical well logs, pressure data, formation well tops, and a well path. Lithology intervals are set with proper prediction equations to calculate rock mechanical properties based on laboratory tests. In-situ stress and pore pressure are determined using different methods, including the poroelastic plane strain model and stress polygon. From the theory of plane strain, new equations are solved to determine horizontal tectonic strains (ε h , ε H ) from drilling events such as total mud loss and breakout during drilling. Safe mud weight bounds are calculated through depth and in different azimuths and inclinations applying the Mohr-Coulomb and the Mogi-Coulomb failure criteria. The latter underestimated the minimum mud weight to prevent wellbore breakout. The transversely vertical isotropy of shale formation is programmed with multiple stress transformations via the weak-plane method. In the second module, a 3D model around the wellbore is discretized with hexahedral eight-point elements and programmed using the finite-element (FE) method. Rock mechanical property and displacement boundary conditions are applied to solve FE equations. Stress from the numerical model matched to the Kirsch model and results show that maximum stress concentration around the wellbore corresponds to the wellbore breakout, which has analytically been established. A new well plan across the 3D model was examined to obtain the safe mud weight bounds and results were in agreement with the analytical calculations.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%