Calculating Method of Wellbore Collapse Pressure Drilling in Fractured Shale Formation

Zhao Kai, Deng Jin-Gen, Yu Bao-Hua, Yuan Jun-Liang, Song Li-Hui, Lu Na-Na

Calculating Method of Wellbore Collapse Pressure Drilling in Fractured

Shale Formation
1

Zhao Kai, 2Deng Jin-Gen, 3Yu Bao-Hua, 4Yuan Jun-Liang, 5Song Li-Hui, 6Lu Na-Na
1, First and Corresponding Author
China University of Petroleum (Beijing), zkaiup@126.com
2,
China University of Petroleum (Beijing), dengjingen@126.com
3,
China University of Petroleum (Beijing), yubaohua73@126.com
4,
China University of Petroleum (Beijing), yuan6688699@163.com
5,
China University of Petroleum (Beijing), czgmx_stdh@126.com
6,
Oil Production Technology Research Institute, Shengli Oilfield Branch. Co.,
nacl.257061@163.com

Abstract
In order to reduce the oil and gas drilling risk and cost, the calculating method of collapse pressure
was established to prevent borehole collapse in fractured shale formation. The method was coupled
with borehole concentrated stress, induced stress by crack opened and pore pressure change. The
influence law of borehole trajectory and crack occurrence was researched. The results show that,
collapse pressure increases substantially in small dip fractured shale formation when the well
deviation angle exceeds the critical value, and the increase speed is fastest in the direction of maximum
horizontal principle stress; collapse pressure is lower when crack is nearly vertical and the tendency
parallel to wellbore azimuth for the horizontal well, but when crack dip exceeds 30 and the tendency
is not parallel to wellbore azimuth, it is more dangerous for drilling due to the higher collapse
pressure. The research results can be used to solve wellbore instability problems and improve drilling
efficiency in the similar regions.

Keywords: Collapse Pressure, Fractured Shale, Crack Occurrence, Borehole Trajectory

1. Introduction
With the rapid growth of the world economy, energy supply and demand contradiction is increasing.
The development of rich oil and gas resources in deep formation will be effective means to provide
sufficient energy supply. But due the strong tectonic movement in deep formation, the crack is
developed in shale which induces borehole instability seriously, dealing with wellbore instability
problems are both time consuming and costly [1]. For example, in South Argentina, large caving
occurred when drilling in fractured shale resulting in borehole enlargements equivalent to twice the bit
size, the related problems such as pack-off, over-pull, hard reaming, etc. consequently increased the
nonproductive times about 75% higher than the programmed drilling time [2]. Such serious borehole
instability problems also occurred in many other areas [3]. Over the years, a large number of models
for borehole stability have been developed [4-8], but the borehole concentrated stress, induced stress by
crack opened and pore pressure change were not coupled to calculate the collapse pressure. In this
paper, new method was established coupled the three aspects, and the influence law of borehole
trajectory and crack occurrence on collapse pressure was researched to guide the drilling project in the
deep fractured shale formation.

2. The initial concentrated stress around wellbore

In order to study the collapse pressure of the borehole, we should start from the stress field around
the borehole, then choose the proper failure model, and finally determine the reasonable mud density to
prevent the borehole collapsed.
After borehole is drilled, the stress around the borehole redistributes, and concentrates as the model
of infinite plate with a small bore (Figure 1). In the non homogeneous in-situ stress field and the
drilling fluid column pressure, based on the theory of general plane strain, for small deformation, the
concentrated stress near the vertical wellbore can be expressed as the following:

International Journal of Digital Content Technology and its Applications(JDCTA)

Volume7,Number3,February 2013
doi:10.4156/jdcta.vol7.issue3.90

752

Calculating Method of Wellbore Collapse Pressure Drilling in Fractured Shale Formation

Zhao Kai, Deng Jin-Gen, Yu Bao-Hua, Yuan Jun-Liang, Song Li-Hui, Lu Na-Na

r1 =

( + ) R 2 ( - )
R2
3R 4 4R 2
Pw + H h (1- 2 )+ H h (1+ 4 - 2 )cos2
2
r
2
r
2
r
r

1 =-

( + )
R2
R 2 ( - )
3R 4
Pw + H h (1+ 2 )- H h (1+ 4 )cos2
2
r
2
r
2
r

z1 =v -[2(H -h )(

r1 =

(1)

R 2
) cos2]
r

(H -h ) 3R 4 2R 2
(1- 4 + 2 )sin2
2
r
r

Where r1 ,1 , z1 , r1 are the effective stress components in borehole cylindrical coordinate system,
MPa; H and h are the original maximum and minimum horizontal in-situ stress respectively, MPa;
v is the vertical in-situ stress; Pw is drilling column pressure, MPa; R is borehole radius, m; r is the
distance from the formation to the hole center, m; is the well round angle, deg; is Poisson ratio.

Figure 1. Calculation model of the concentrated stress around wellbore

For the deviated well, the calculation method of concentrated stress is same, but because borehole
slopes, the change of in situ stress tensor in the borehole coordinate system takes place, which can be
obtained through the coordinate transformation (Figure 2):
H
[]=[L] 0
0

0
h
0

0
0 [L]T
v

(2)

Where: is well azimuth angle, deg; is well deviation angle, deg; L is the transformation
matrix of well deviation angle and well azimuth angle [9]:
coscos cossin -sin
[L]= -sin
cos
0
sincos sincos cos

(3)

The coordinate transformation from the principal in situ stress coordinate system (1,2,3) to the
borehole coordinate system (X,Y,Z) is realized by the two steps:

753

Calculating Method of Wellbore Collapse Pressure Drilling in Fractured Shale Formation

Zhao Kai, Deng Jin-Gen, Yu Bao-Hua, Yuan Jun-Liang, Song Li-Hui, Lu Na-Na

(1) According to the right hand rule, taking coordinate axis 3 as fixed axis, the coordinate system
(X1,Y1,Z1) is gained by rotating the coordinate system (1,2,3) by .
(2) According to the right hand rule, taking coordinate axis Y1 as fixed axis, the coordinate system
(X,Y,Z) is gained by rotating the coordinate system (X1,Y1,Z1) by .

Figure 2. Coordinate transformation from the principal in situ stress to the borehole coordinate system

3. Induced stress by crack

Crack is development in shale and it is often closed under original in-situ stress. After borehole is
opened with higher density drilling fluid, the crack opens and extends, then the additional stress is
induced around the borehole besides the original concentrated stress [10]. Assuming the crack in shale
is in the centre of the borehole plane, and the length is 2L , the physical model of crack induced stress
is established as Figure 3. Based rock elastic mechanics theory, the crack induced stress can be
expressed as the following:
3

rf L2 2
rf
3
1
1

x =-PF
cos f - f1 - f2 -1
sin f sin[ f1 + f2 ]+PF
1
L rf1rf2
2
2
2

2
r
r

f1 f2

r L2 2
3
1
1

rf
y =PF f
cos f - f1 - f2 -1
sin f sin[ f1 + f2 ]+PF
1
L rf1rf2
2
2
2

rf1rf2 2

(4)

r L2 2
3
xy =PF f
sin f cos[ f1 + f2 ]
L rf1rf2
2
Where x , y are the crack induced stresses along X-axis and Y-axis respectively, MPa; xy is
the induced shear stress, MPa; rf , rf1 , rf2 are the distance from any Point A to the centre and two ends of
the crack, m; f is the angle between the line from Point A to the centre point and X-axis, deg;

754

Calculating Method of Wellbore Collapse Pressure Drilling in Fractured Shale Formation

Zhao Kai, Deng Jin-Gen, Yu Bao-Hua, Yuan Jun-Liang, Song Li-Hui, Lu Na-Na

f1 , f2 are the angles between the lines from Point A to the two ends of the crack and X-axis
respectively, deg.

Figure 3. Calculation model of the induced stress by crack

4. Induced stress by change of pore pressure

In drilling process, the opened crack under higher drilling fluid column pressure becomes high
permeability flow pathway, the drilling fluid seepages inside the opened crack which induces the
increase of pore pressure, and due to fluid and solid coupling effect, the additional seepage stress is
generated around the borehole. Because the shale matrix permeability is very low and far less than
crack permeability, the shale matrix is assumed to be impermeability media, the drilling seepage only
inside the crack. The seepage model is established as Figure 4.

Figure 4. The model of drilling fluid seepage inside crack

The crack surface is assumed to be smooth and straight, and the shale matrix is deformable body,
the crack aperture changes with effective stress on crack surface, the crack permeability is influenced
by crack deformation and meanwhile influences fluid pressure, so the whole seepage process is the
result of fluid and solid coupling effect. The crack is discretized to finite simple units, and the seepage
is driven by the pressure difference between adjacent elements, the seepage law inside the crack can be
expressed as following:
q=kb 3 dp dL

(5)

755

Calculating Method of Wellbore Collapse Pressure Drilling in Fractured Shale Formation

Zhao Kai, Deng Jin-Gen, Yu Bao-Hua, Yuan Jun-Liang, Song Li-Hui, Lu Na-Na

Where q is drilling fluid flow through crack unites; k is permeability parameter; b is the crack
aperture; dp is the pressure difference between adjacent elements; dL is the length of crack unites.
The crack aperture is the function of the crack aperture at zero normal effective stress and the crack
surface normal displacement:
b=b 0 -D n

(6)

Where b0 is the crack aperture at zero normal effective stress; D n is the crack surface normal
displacement controlled by the normal stress.
The coupled effect of crack deformation and pressure change is expressed as following [3]:

p(t)=p(t-t)+K f q

t
V
-K f
V(t)
V(t-t)

(7)

V=V(t)-V(t-t)
Where K f is the fluid volume modulus; V(t) is the crack unite volume.
The pore pressure change inside crack can be obtained through comprehensive solving equations (5)
~ (7), in the situation of general plane strain, the additional stress around the borehole induced by the
change of the pore pressure can be expressed as following:

r2 =

1-2 1
1- r 2

2 =-

r
R

1-2 1
1- r 2

p f r,t rdr-fp f r,t

r
R

p f r,t rdr-p f r,t -fp f r,t

(8)

1-2 f
z2 =
-f p r,t
1-

Where is effective stress coefficient; is Poisson ratio; f is rock porosity.

5. Calculating method of collapse pressure

After borehole is drilled, the initial rock support is replaced by drilling fluid column pressure. When
the mud column pressure is low to a critical value which cant support borehole effectively, collapse
instability will occur on the sidewall surrounding rock because the stress is beyond itself shear strength.
The critical drilling fluid column pressure is defined as the collapse pressure, and the corresponding
drilling mud density is defined as the equivalent drilling fluid density of collapse pressure.
For fractured shale, the single weak-side rock strength criterion [11] can be used to describe the
borehole collapse instability:

1 -3 =

o -23 tan
tan- tan 2 +1

(9)

Where, 1 and 3 are respectively maximum and minimum principle stress in formations, MPa;
is internal friction angle, deg; o is cohesion of formations, and it is function of the included angle
between maximum principle stress and weakness plane normal, MPa.
The total stress on the borehole plane is constituted by initial concentrated stress, the additional
stress induced by crack and pore pressure change:

756

Calculating Method of Wellbore Collapse Pressure Drilling in Fractured Shale Formation

Zhao Kai, Deng Jin-Gen, Yu Bao-Hua, Yuan Jun-Liang, Song Li-Hui, Lu Na-Na

r = r1 + r2 + x
= 1 + 2 + y
r = r1 + xy

(10)

Based the theory of elastic mechanics, the principal stress on the rock around borehole can be
expressed as following:

1 =

r +
-
( r )2 +r2
2
2

+
-
3 = r ( r )2 +2r
2
2

(11)

The collapse pressure can be gained by making the equation (11) substituted into equation (9).

6. Results discussion
Based the above calculation method, we calculated the changes of collapse pressure with different
well trajectory and crack occurrence, and the results were checked through on-site drilling data. The
calculation parameters are as followed: The depth, H = 3200m. Borehole diameter, Rw = 215.9mm.
Equivalent density of pore pressure, Pp = 1.03g/cm3. Effective stress coefficient, =0.8. Equivalent
density of in-situ stress, sigH = 1.85g/cm3, sigh = 1.65g/cm3, sigv = 2.23g/cm3. Azimuth of maximum
horizontal principle stress is N70E. Formation tendency is N75E and the dip is 10.
The changes of collapse pressure of directional well with different well deviation and azimuth are
shown in Figure 5. In this figure, circumferential direction is well azimuth angle, and radial direction is
well deviation angle. The on-site drilling data were used to check the validity of the calculation method
and result (Table 1). Compare results showed good consistency between the calculation result and onsite drilling data: Well 1# and 3# collapsed because the practical drilling fluid density was lower than
the collapse pressure, and no collapse occurred in Well 2# because the practical drilling fluid density
was higher than the collapse pressure. The results show that when drilling directional wells from
different directions in fractured shale, if the well deviation angle is less than a critical value, the
deviation has little effect on collapse pressure, but if the well deviation angle exceeds the critical value,
collapse pressure will increase substantially, and the increase speed is fastest in the direction of
maximum horizontal principle stress.
Because the validity of the calculation method and result was checked well, we calculated the
changes of collapse pressure with crack tendency and dip to guide the drilling operation in other
oilfield which has different crack occurrence. The changes of collapse pressure of horizontal well in the
direction of maximum horizontal principle stress with different crack tendency and dip are shown in
Figure 6. In this figure, circumferential direction is crack tendency, and radial direction is crack dip.
The result shows that: (1) When crack is nearly vertical and the tendency parallel to wellbore azimuth
(blue area), it is safest for drilling due to the lower collapse pressure; (2) When crack dip exceeds 30
and the tendency is not parallel to wellbore azimuth (red area), it is most dangerous for drilling due to
the higher collapse pressure.

757

Calculating Method of Wellbore Collapse Pressure Drilling in Fractured Shale Formation

Zhao Kai, Deng Jin-Gen, Yu Bao-Hua, Yuan Jun-Liang, Song Li-Hui, Lu Na-Na

Figure 5. The change law of collapse pressure with well deviation and azimuth angle
Table.1 On-site application
Well
number

Collapse
deviation ()

azimuth ()

pressure
(g/cm3)

Practical drilling

Borehole
3

fluid density (g/cm )

collapsed or No

1#

20

N10E

1.31

1.26

Collapsed

2#

30

N195E

1.32

1.38

No

3#

41

N138E

1.38

1.33

Collapsed

758

Calculating Method of Wellbore Collapse Pressure Drilling in Fractured Shale Formation

Zhao Kai, Deng Jin-Gen, Yu Bao-Hua, Yuan Jun-Liang, Song Li-Hui, Lu Na-Na

Figure 6. The change law of collapse pressure with crack tendency and dip

7. Conclusion
The calculation method was established to calculate borehole collapse pressure when drilling in
fractured shale formation. The results based on the method were checked well through on-site drilling
data. Wellbore trajectory and crack occurrence has important influence on the collapse pressure.
(1) For the small dip formation, the collapse pressure is lower when the well deviation angle is less
than a critical value, but when the well deviation angle exceeds the critical value, collapse pressure will
increase substantially, and the increase speed is fastest in the direction of maximum horizontal
principle stress, so the highly-deviated well in fractured shale formation should be paid more attention
to prevent borehole instability.
(2) For the horizontal well in the direction of maximum horizontal principle stress, When crack is
nearly vertical and the tendency parallel to wellbore azimuth, it is safest for drilling due to the lower
collapse pressure, but when crack dip exceeds 30 and the tendency is not parallel to wellbore azimuth,
it is more dangerous for drilling due to the higher collapse pressure.
(3) The research results can be used to solve wellbore instability problems and improve drilling
efficiency in other similar regions.

8. Acknowledgement
This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51174219).

9. References
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Calculating Method of Wellbore Collapse Pressure Drilling in Fractured Shale Formation

Zhao Kai, Deng Jin-Gen, Yu Bao-Hua, Yuan Jun-Liang, Song Li-Hui, Lu Na-Na

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