Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A coupled thermo-poroelastic analysis of wellbore stability for formations with anisotropic strengths

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The temperature difference between the drilling fluid and formation will lead to an apparent temperature change around the borehole and tend to cause borehole instability problems in oil and gas drilling process. The wellbore stability models used in thinly laminated rock formations integrate the in situ stresses, pore pressure, well trajectory, and rock strength parameters to improve the wellbore stability; however, a limited amount of research has focused on the factor of formation temperature and its difference between drilling mud. Hence, a wellbore stability model is introduced based on the stress transformations and the Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria, which incorporate the rock strength anisotropy and the temperature difference between formation and drilling mud. The wellbore instability problems of anisotropic strength formation are analyzed using this model. The results show that the shear failure of rock matrix mainly occurs at two symmetric locations around the borehole and the size of failure region decreases with the inclination angle, in contrast, the shear slip failure of weak plane occurs at four locations around the borehole. The mud density required for isotropic strength should be selected as the required mud density to keep the wellbore stable if the inclination angle less than a certain value, and it almost keeps a constant with the inclination angle changes. On the contrary, the mud density required for slippage along the plane of weakness should be selected when the inclination angle larger than this value, and it is increasing with the inclination angle. Positive temperature difference will aggravate the wellbore instability, the larger the temperature difference the bigger the mud density is required.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

r :

Radial distance from the center of wellbore

r i :

Radius of wellbore

t :

Time

T 0 :

Initial formation temperature

T i :

Drilling mud temperature

P 0 :

Initial formation pore pressure

P i :

Drilling mud pressure

k m :

Solid mass thermal conductivity

v :

Poisson’s ratio

K :

Permeability coefficient

n :

Porosity

v u :

Undrained poisson’s ratio

γ w :

Specific weight of pore fluid

c ’ :

Thermo-hydraulic coupling coefficient

k s :

Rock bulk conductivity

T :

Temperature

χ :

Azimuth angle

σ h :

Minimum horizontal principal stress

ϕ :

Dip angle of the plane of weakness

σ xx σ yy σ zz σ xy σ xy σ yz :

Normal and shear stresses in the borehole coordinate system

σw xx σw yy σw zz τw xy τw xz τw yz :

Normal and shear stresses in the weak plane coordinate system

σ n0 :

Normal stress

φ 0 :

Friction angle of rock matrix

σ nw :

Effective normal stress acting on the plane of weakness

φ w :

Friction angle of the plane of weakness

σ max σ min :

The max and min principal stresses

Ω :

Maximum horizontal principal stress azimuth angle

k s :

Equivalent thermal conductivity

k f :

Pore fluid conductivity

α m :

Solid mass thermal expansion coefficient

α f :

Pore fluid expansion

ρ m :

Solid mass density

ρ f :

Pore fluid density

c m :

Solid mass specific heat

cf :

Pore fluid specific heat

E :

Young’s modulus

λ :

Lame constant

k :

Permeability

G :

Shear modulus

μ :

Pore fluid viscosity

c :

Hydraulic diffusivity coefficient

α :

Biot coefficient

p :

Pore pressure

w :

Wellbore inclination angle

σ H :

Maximum horizontal principal stress

σ v :

Overburden pressure

γ :

Dip direction of the plane of weakness

σ rr σ θθ σ zz σ rθ σ rz σ θz :

Effective normal and shear stresses in the cylindrical coordinate system

τ 0 :

Shear strength

c 0 :

Cohesion of rock matrix

τ w :

Resultant shear stress acting on the plane of weakness

c w :

Intrinsic shear strength of the plane of weakness

σ 1 σ 2 σ 3 :

The principal stress in three directions

θ :

Wellbore circumferential angle

c s :

Thermal diffusivity

f i :

Body force

References

  • Aadnoy BS (1988) Modeling of the stability of highly inclined boreholes in anisotropic rock formations (includes associated papers 19213 and 19886)[J]. SPE Drill Eng 3(03):259–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aadnoy BS, Chenevert ME (1987) Stability of highly inclined boreholes (includes associated papers 18596 and 18736) [J]. SPE Drill Eng 2(04):364–374

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ajalloeian R, Lashkaripour GR (2000) Strength anisotropies in mudrocks[J]. Bull Eng Geol Environ 59(3):195–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandis S C, Lindman J, Barton N (1987) Three-dimensional stress state and fracturing around cavities in overstressed weak rock[C]//6th ISRM Congress. International Society for Rock Mechanics

  • Barton N (2007) Rock quality, seismic velocity, attenuation and anisotropy. Taylor & Francis, Routledge

    Google Scholar 

  • Biot MA (1941) General theory of three-dimensional consolidation[J]. J Appl Phys 12(2):155–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biot MA (1955) Theory of elasticity and consolidation for a porous anisotropic solid[J]. J Appl Phys 26(2):182–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradley WB (1979) Failure of inclined boreholes[J]. J Energy Resour Technol 101(4):232–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen P, Ma TS (2014) A collapse pressure prediction model of horizontal shale gas wells with multiple weak planes[J]. Nat Gas Ind 34(12):87–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen G, Chenevert ME, Sharma MM, Yu M (2003) A study of wellbore stability in shales including poroelastic, chemical, and thermal effects[J]. J Pet Sci Eng 38(3–4):167–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chenevert ME, Gatlin C (1965) Mechanical anisotropies of laminated sedimentary rocks[J]. Soc Pet Eng J 5(01):67–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delaney PT (1982) Rapid intrusion of magma into wet rock: groundwater flow due to pore pressure increases. J Geophys Res 87(B9):7739–7756

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donath FA (1964) Strength variation and deformational behavior in anisotropic rock[J]. State of Stress in the Earth's Crust:281–297

  • Duncan A. (2009) Characterization of the Barnett shale using borehole images and other tools. Presentation for AAPG 2009 mid-continent meeting-resources for the generations

  • Fekete P, Dosunmu A, Anyanwu C, et al. (2014) Wellbore stability Management in Weak Bedding Planes and Angle of attack in well Planing[C]//SPE Nigeria annual international conference and exhibition. Society of Petroleum Engineers

  • Ghassemi A, Tao Q, Diek A (2009) Influence of coupled chemo-poro-thermoelastic processes on pore pressure and stress distributions around a wellbore in swelling shale[J]. J Pet Sci Eng 67(1):57–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helstrup OA, Chen Z, Rahman SS (2004) Time-dependent wellbore instability and ballooning in naturally fractured formations[J]. J Pet Sci Eng 43(1):113–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heng S, Guo Y, Yang C, Daemen JJK, Li Z (2015) Experimental and theoretical study of the anisotropic properties of shale[J]. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 74:58–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jia S, Ran X, Wang Y et al (2012) Fully coupled thermal-hydraulic-mechanical model and finite element analysis for deformation porous media[J]. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 31(supplement 2):3547–3556

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin Y, Yuan J, Hou B, Chen M, Lu Y, Li S, Zou Z (2012) Analysis of the vertical borehole stability in anisotropic rock formations[J]. J Pet Explor Prod Technol 2(4):197–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurashige M (1989) A thermoelastic theory of fluid-filled porous materials[J]. Int J Solids Struct 25(9):1039–1052

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lang J, Li S, Zhang J (2011) Wellbore stability modeling and real-time surveillance for Deepwater drilling to weak bedding planes and depleted reservoirs[C]//SPE/IADC drilling conference and exhibition. Society of Petroleum Engineers

  • Last N, Plumb R, Harkness, et al. (1995) R An integrated approach to evaluating and managing wellbore instability in the Cusiana Field Colombia South America[J]. SPE annual technical conference and exhibition, 22-25 October, Dallas, Texas

  • Lee H, Ong SH, Azeemuddin M et al (2012) A wellbore stability model for formations with anisotropic rock strengths[J]. J Pet Sci Eng 96:109–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee H, Chang C, Ong SH, Song I (2013) Effect of anisotropic borehole wall failures when estimating in situ stresses: a case study in the Nankai accretionary wedge[J]. Mar Pet Geol 48:411–422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Fu Y, Tang G, et al. (2012) Effect of weak bedding planes on wellbore stability for shale gas wells[C]//IADC/SPE Asia Pacific drilling technology conference and exhibition. Society of Petroleum Engineers

  • Liang C, Chen M, Jin Y, Lu Y (2014) Wellbore stability model for shale gas reservoir considering the coupling of multi-weakness planes and porous flow[J]. J Nat Gas Sci Eng 21:364–378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu YH, Chen M, Jin Y, Zhang GQ (2012) A mechanical model of borehole stability for weak plane formation under porous flow[J]. Pet Sci Technol 30(15):1629–1638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu YH, Chen M, Jin Y, Ge WF, An S, Zhou Z (2013) Influence of porous flow on wellbore stability for an inclined well with weak plane formation[J]. Pet Sci Technol 31(6):616–624

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma TS, Chen P (2014) Prediction method of shear instability region around the borehole for horizontal wells in bedding shale[J]. Pet Drill Tech 42(5):26–36

    Google Scholar 

  • McLamore R, Gray KE (1967) The mechanical behavior of anisotropic sedimentary rocks[J]. J Manuf Sci Eng 89(1):62–73

    Google Scholar 

  • McTigue DF (1986) Thermoelastic response of fluid-saturated porous rock[J]. J Geophys Res Sol-Ea (1978–2012) 91(B9):9533–9542

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McTigue DF (1990) Flow to a heated borehole in porous, thermoelastic rock: analysis[J]. Water Resour Res 26(8):1763–1774

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meng L, Liang LX, Xiong J et al (2015) Experiment of fundamental physical properties and analysis of the wellbore stability on hard brittle shale [J]. Sci Technol Eng 7:34–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Moinfar A, Tajer E (2013) Analysis of wellbore instability caused by weak bedding-plane slippage for arbitrary oriented boreholes: theory and case study[C]//47th US rock mechanics/Geomechanics symposium. American Rock Mechanics Association.

  • Moos D, Peska P, Zoback M D (1998) Predicting the stability of horizontal wells and multi-laterals: the role of in situ stress and rock properties[C]//SPE International conference on horizontal well technology, 119–130

  • Niandou H, Shao JF, Henry JP, Fourmaintraux D (1997) Laboratory investigation of the mechanical behaviour of Tournemire shale[J]. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 34(1):3–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okland D, Cook J M (1998) Bedding-related borehole instability in high-angle wells[J]. SPE/ISRM Rock Mech Petroleum Eng

  • Ong SH, Roegiers JC (1993) Influence of anisotropies in borehole stability[C]//international journal of rock mechanics and mining sciences & geomechanics abstracts. Pergamon 30(7):1069–1075

    Google Scholar 

  • Ostadhassan M O, Jabbari H, Zamiran S, et al. (2014) Wellbore instability of inclined wells in highly layered rocks Bakken case study[C]//SPE eastern regional meeting. Soc Pet Eng

  • Ramamurthy T, Rao GV, Singh J (1993) Engineering behaviour of phyllites[J]. Eng Geol 33(3):209–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid P, Labenski F, Santos H (2003) Drilling fluids approaches for control of wellbore instability in fractured formations[J]. Paper SPE/IADC, 85304

  • Skelton J, Hogg T W, Cross R, et al. (1995) Case History of Directional Drilling in the Cusiana Field in Colombia[J]. SPE/IADC Drilling Conference, 28 February-2 March, Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • Tien YM, Kuo MC, Juang CH (2006) An experimental investigation of the failure mechanism of simulated transversely isotropic rocks[J]. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 43(8):1163–1181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waters G A, Heinze J R, Jackson R, et al. (2006) Use of horizontal well image tools to optimize Barnett shale reservoir exploitation[C]//SPE annual technical conference and exhibition. Soc Pet Eng

  • Westergaard H M (1940) Plastic state of stress around a deep well [J]

  • Willson S M, Last N C, Zoback M D, et al. (1999) Drilling in South America: a wellbore stability approach for complex geologic conditions[C]// Latin American and Caribbean petroleum engineering conference. Soc Pet Eng

  • Willson S M, Edwards S T, Crook A J, et al. (2007) Assuring stability in extended reach wells-analyses practices and mitigations[C]// SPE/IADC drilling conference. Soc Pet Eng

  • Yan G, Karpfinger F, Prioul R, et al. (2014) Anisotropic wellbore stability model and its application for drilling through challenging shale gas wells[C]//international petroleum technology conference. International Petroleum Technology Conference

  • Zhang J (2013) Borehole stability analysis accounting for anisotropies in drilling to weak bedding planes[J]. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 60:160–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang J, Roegiers J C (2002) Borehole stability in naturally deformable fractured reservoirs-a fully coupled approach[C]//SPE annual technical conference and exhibition. Soc Pet Eng

Download references

Funding

This study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.51674214), International Cooperation Project of Sichuan Science and Technology Plan (2016HH0008), Youth Science and Technology Innovation Research Team of Sichuan Province (2017TD0014). Such supports are greatly appreciated by the authors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechatronic Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China

    Weiji Liu & Xiaohua Zhu

Authors
  1. Weiji Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaohua Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaohua Zhu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Liu, W., Zhu, X. A coupled thermo-poroelastic analysis of wellbore stability for formations with anisotropic strengths. Arab J Geosci 11, 537 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3854-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3854-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation