Evolution Law of Wellbore Instability Risk under Fluctuating Pressure

Abstract

The bottom hole fluctuating pressure has a large influence on the wellbore instability. To address this problem, firstly, according to the principle of seepage mechanics, we established a calculation model of the change in pore pressure around the wellbore radius under fluctuating pressure; then, through laboratory rock mechanics test and rock damage mechanics theory analysis, the change law of formation strength under the action of static hydration and dynamic damage are determined; finally, based on the theory of rock mechanics in porous media, a quantitative evaluation method for the risk of wellbore instability under fluctuating pressure is established and the changing pattern of wellbore instability risk is analyzed. The results show that the pore pressure around the well shows a trend of fluctuation increase under fluctuating pressure, and there is a certain lag in the fluctuation of pore pressure inside the formation; the longer the muddy shale is immersed in drilling fluid, the greater the reduction in strength; the reduction is greater in the early stage of immersion, and the reduction in strength in water-based drilling fluid is greater than that in oil-based drilling fluid. At the beginning of the pressure cycle, the formation damage variable and compressive strength gradually increase and decrease with the increase of the pressure cycle number; after several cycles, the magnitude of change gradually decreases with the increase of the cycle number. When the bottom hole pressure fluctuates at a certain period, the greater the fluctuation, the shorter the period of wellbore stability; when the bottom hole pressure fluctuates at a certain range, the smaller the fluctuation period, the faster the borehole enters the high-risk period, while the shortest period of wellbore stability occurs when the fluctuation period is smallest; and when the wave cycle is in the middle, the wellbore stability period is the longest.

Risk Assessment Method for Analyzing Borehole Instability Considering Formation Heterogeneity

“…Statistics show that borehole instability causes losses of USD 500~600 million in the worldwide oil industry every year [1][2][3][4]. It is one of the world's most concerned problems to drilling workers at home and abroad, and it is also an important matter that scientific and technological workers have been making unremitting efforts to tackle [5][6][7][8][9][10]. To minimize the risks of borehole instability and its attendant technical and economic repercussions, scholars, both domestically and internationally, have developed a diverse array of borehole stability analysis models.…”