Houston Community College North East Energy Institute Pore Pressure

Calculator
Introduction

Houston Community College Northeast Petroleum Energy Institute (HCC-NE EI) teaches a
hands-on, integrated approach (geology; geophysics; petrophysics; engineering and rock physics)
stressing rock physics to understand how to design a drilling program before we drill. This prepares our
students to have a good foundation to see how all the different aspects of geoscience fit together such
as geology, geophysics, petrophysics, and rock physics fit together to solve a problem. It looks at what
can we get from all of the data. Though the program is rudimentary it begins to show how the data can
be incorporated for analysis.

Pore Pressure Calculation

With pore pressure prediction we assume velocities within a clastic sedimentary basin are
controlled by shale compaction. Thus the seismic velocities indicate areas of normal compaction and
undercompaction (Kan, Kilsdonk and West, 1999). Normal compacted shales means the pore pressure
within the shales is equal to the hydrostatic pressure. Undercompacted shales are where the water tries
to escape the mud during the burial but it is trapped so the water begins to push the grains apart within
the mud and this creates a overpressure zone. When this occurs the velocity of the rock decreases
instead of increases. We also see a decrease within resistivity. Utilizing well logging while drilling we
can measure and be aware when this begins to happen.
In deepwater the mud may subside so quickly that we do not have normal compaction. The
calculator designed by Houston Community College is based upon Eaton's equation which is:

PPZ=OBZ-(OBZ-PnZ)*(∆Tn/∆To)X

Eaton’s Equation:
Where:

PPZ - pore pressure at depth (z);

OBZ - Overburden at depth (z);
PnZ - hydrostatic or normal pressure at depth (z);
∆Tn - normally compacted sonic Interval Transit Time (ITT), interval velocity,
resistivity at depth (z);
∆To - observed sonic Interval Transit Time (ITT), interval velocity,
resistivity at depth (z);
X - transformation exponent based on age and basin location
(generally it is 3 and some set it to 5 below the top of the geopressure). Use 1.2 if using
resistivity information (Traugott, 1997).

As can be seen it is based upon establishing a normal compaction trend.

To determine compaction trends we establish linear trends within the check shot, VSP or sonic
which represents changes in the pressure domain. This is based upon the work of Shaker (2007). The
first step in pore pressure calculation should be to plot out the well data such as a lithology log to
determine the shale sections within the rock column and the sonic, check shot, VSP or resistivity log.
When working with a Gamma Ray or SP log we need to establish the sand baseline and the shale
baseline. The Gamma Ray or SP value for the sand baseline is GR 0 or SP0 respectively. The Gamma
Ray or SP value for the shale baseline is GR 100 or SP100 respectively. We can then calculate the
percentage of shale through the following equation: Vsh=(GR-GR0)/(GR100-GR0). We can create a
percentage of shale log and where we have shale at 100% we can then look at the sonic, check shot,
VSP or resistivity log over these sections. When doing pore pressure analysis we need to be aware that
we are predicting the pressure within the shales and measuring the pressure within the sands.
The HCC pore pressure calculator utilizes only two points from the linear trend we establish
upon the well data. By entering into two points on a line we can define the line by the equation y=mx +
b where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

Figure 1: By defining two points on a line we can establish the equation for a line.

If we have two compaction lines (trends) we want to establish where these points actually cross
because this will be the top of the section or a casing point. If we have two equations for two different
lines where they are equal to each other is where they intercept. Also by having equations for lines we
can calculate the velocity anywhere along the line by using the equation. This allows us to project the
normal compaction trend downwards.

Figure 2: Where we have two compaction trends intercept we have a casing point. If we have two
equations for two separate line where they intercept is when the two equations are equal
to themselves.
 After establishing compaction trends by taking two points along the compaction trends for the
well data where we have shale we can then begin to calculate pore pressure. The compaction trends are
in essence digitizing the well data so we can utilize it in the calculator.

Figure 3: This figure summarizes the power behind our approach. From two points on each
compaction line we are able to find where the lines intercept to calculate the casing point
and we can calculate any point along the compaction trend.
We then utilize Traugott's (1997) methodology is used to calculate the density, overburden,
pressure gradient, and fracture gradient. Recently we have added the ability to calculate density
utilizing a generalized Gardner's equation for rocks and Gardner's specifically for shales.
To calculate the Overburden Gradient utilizing Traugott's (1997) methodology we utilize the
following equation:

O =[(8.5)(W) + (ρavg)(D-W-A)]/D

Where:

W is the depth of the water;

D is the depth from the Kelly bushing;
A is the size of the airgap from the derrick floor to the top of the sea;
And, ρavg is the average density of the sediment in ppg, which can be calculated from:

ρavg = 16.3 + {(D-W-A)/3125}0.6

Figure 3: A diagram showing how we calculate the Overburden gradient (Traugott, 1997).

The fracture gradient is the pressure it takes to fracture the formation and to cause loss returns
into the induced fracture. A value for FPG is measured directly with a leak-off test (LOT).
We project the results of our calculations into a chart and into a graph. We then look for
unloading within the data. Unloading is where we have a decrease in pressure due to several factors
such as: hydrocarbon maturation, clay diagenesis (smectite to illiete), structural uplift and erosion, etc.
Where we have unlaoding we should utilize Bower's equation to calculate pore pressure.

Development

This program is designed to teach the basics for pore pressure. It was designed as a teaching
tool to emphasis to students how we can calculate pore pressures before drilling. There are many things
we wish to do with this rudimentary program such as integrate Bower's equation into it and give it
more functionality such as being able to plot out the well data and identify shale zones where we can
analyze the velocities or resistivity across. We would also like to put in the mud weights and the leak
off tests. This would entail rewriting the software from a spread sheet to a program. There are many
commercial programs such as Ikon's Rockdoc out there right now that do this but it would allow
students to see the methodologies better to calculate pore pressure and design a drilling program.
Our methodology is simplistic to emphasis key points drawn from petrophysics and rock
physics. HCC-NE EI is preparing students to work offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Our students will
not graduate with a degree but will have a solid basis to pursue one if they so desire. HCC-NE EI is
ideally located where there are many offshore teams working on data across the world. One of our
immediate goals is to create an honours program which will include helping to solve problems, develop
software, analyze data, etc. This will enable our brightest students to develop further.

Conclusion

To teach the principles of pore pressure, HCC-NE EI practices hands-on training using tools
(software and models) utilized by the industry, along with a pore pressure calculator that has been
developed at HCC-NE EI to emphasize the principles behind AVO and pore pressures.
The development of these tools allows college students to gain insight into how well data,
seismic data and interpretation fit together. To design a drilling program It creates a foundation so that
students can go further into their studies at a recognized University be it in Geology, Geophysics or
Petroleum Engineering degree.

Bibliography

Eaton, B.A., 1972, Graphical method predicts geopressure worldwide, World Oil, V182, p51-56.

Kan T.K., Kilsdonk W. & West, C., 1999, 3-D geopressure analysis in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico,
TLE, April 1999, 502-508

Kan, T.K., and Swan, H.W., 2001, Geopressure prediction from automatically-derived seismic
velocities, SEG, Vol. 66, 1937-1946

Shaker, S.S., 2007, Calibration of Geopressure Predictions using the Normal Compaction Trend:
Perception and Pitfall, CSEG Recorder

Traugott, M., 1997, Pore Pressure and Fracture Pressure Determinations in Deepwater, Deepwater
Technology Supplement to World Oil