Cuttings reinjection to shallow undersea formation: The Geomechanical acceptance analysis using hydraulic fracturing simulator

Abstract

TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractOperation availability, environmental safety, and storage capacity of the slurrified cuttings re-injection into a shallow, permeable formation off-shore Abu Dhabi was evaluated using a computer simulator for hydraulic fracturing.For the study, Umm Er Radhuma formation of Z field is chosen as the disposal formation, meanwhile Rus formation is regarded as the cap rock over the formation for isolating injected fluid and solid from propagating to seabed. A Geomechanical model of the formations which includes stress regime, formation pressure, rock mass properties, and leak-off characteristic was established with available data from literatures, wire line logging, and water disposal history in the same formation.The numerical model, which is developed by the authors , provides the estimation of injection pressure, fracture geometry and size, and storage volume of the slurry with a modeled injection schedules. The effect of solid particle concentration which may reduce pressure near fracture tip and cause screen off is taken into account for the fluid flow analysis and the determinatin of the fractrue geometry.