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1.

10-1

Abnormal Pressure

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 1


Abnormal Pressure
- Definition, Causes -

Normal Pore Pressures


Abnormal Pore Pressure Gradients
Fracture Gradients
Mud Weights
Casing Seat Depths
What Causes Abnormal Pressure?
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 2
Normal and Abnormal Pore Pressure

Normal Pressure Gradients


West Texas: 0.433 psi/ft
Gulf Coast: 0.465 psi/ft
Depth, ft

Abnormal
Pressure
Gradients

10,000 ??
Pore Pressure, psig
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 3
Pore Pressure vs. Depth
0
0.433 psi/ft 8.33 lb/gal
0.465 psi/ft 9.0 lb/gal
5,000

Normal
10,000

Abormal
15,000

20,000
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Pore Pressure Equivalent, lb/gal
{ Density of mud required to control this pore pressure }
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 4
Fracture Gradient

Pore Pressure
Gradient

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 5


* Pore
Pressure
Gradients

* Fracture
Gradients

* Casing
Setting
Depths

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Some Causes of Abnormal Pressure

1. Incomplete compaction of sediments


Fluids in sediments have not
escaped and are still helping to
support the overburden.

2. Tectonic movements
Uplift
Faulting
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 7
Some Causes of Abnormal Pressure

3. Aquifers in Mountainous Regions


Aquifer recharge is at higher
elevation than drilling rig location.

4. Charged shallow reservoirs due to


nearby underground blowout.

5. Large structures...

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 8


HIGH PRESSURE

NORMAL PRESSURE

Thick, impermeable layers of shale (or salt) restrict the movement


of water. Below such layers abnormal pressure may be found.
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 9
HIGH PRESSURE

NORMAL PRESSURE

Hydrostatic pressure gradient is lower in gas or oil than in water.


Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 10
When crossing faults it is possible to go from normal
pressure to abnormally high pressure in a short interval.
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 11
Well A found only Normal Pressure ...
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 12
sob

p sz

sOB = p + sZ

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 13


?

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 14


Indications of Abnormal Pore Pressures

Methods:

1. Seismic data
2. Drilling rate
3. Sloughing shale
4. Gas units in mud
5. Shale density
6. Chloride content
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 15
Indications of Abnormal Pore Pressures

Methods, contd:

7. Change in Mud properties


8. Temperature of Mud Returns
9. Bentonite content in shale
10. Paleo information
11. Wire-line logs
12. MWD-LWD

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 16


Prediction and Detection of Abnormal
Pressure Zones

1. Before drilling

Shallow seismic surveys

Deep seismic surveys

Comparison with nearby wells

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 17


Prediction and Detection of Abnormal
Pressure Zones

2. While drilling
Drilling rate, gas in mud, etc. etc.
D - Exponent
DC - Exponent
MWD - LWD
Density of shale (cuttings)
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 18
Prediction and Detection of Abnormal
Pressure Zones

3. After drilling
Resistivity log
Conductivity log
Sonic log
Density log

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 19


0.000085 D S
0..41 e .

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 20


What is d-
exponent?

Decreasing ROP
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 21
D - Exponent

The Where
drilling rate R = drilling rate, ft/hr
equation: K = drillability constant
N = rotary speed, RPM
D
W E = rotary speed expon.
R K N
E
W = bit weight, lbs
DB
DB = bit diameter, in
D = bit wt. Exponent
or D - exponent
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 22
D
W
D - Exponent R K N
E

DB

If we assume that K = 1
and E = 1

Then R
log
N
D
R W D
W
N DB log
DB
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 23
D - Exponent

A modified version of this equation


follows:

R
log
d 60 N
12 W
log 6
10 DB
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Example

d may be Corrected for mud density


as follows:

mud weight for normal gradient (ppg)


dc d
actual mud weight in use (ppg)

9 9
e.g., dc d 1.82 * 1.37
12 12
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 25
Procedure for Determining Pore
Pressure From dc - Exponent

Calculate dc over 10-30 ft intervals


Plot dc vs depth (use only date from
Clean shale sections)
Determine the normal line for the
dc vs. depth plot.
Establish where dc deviates from the
normal line to determine abnormal
pressure zone
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 26
Procedure for Determining Pore
Pressure From dc - Exponent

Normal
Depth

Abnormal

dc - Exponent
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 27
Procedure for Determining Pore
Pressure From dc - Exponent

If possible, quantify the magnitude of the


abnormal pore pressure using
overlays, or Ben Eatons Method
1 .2
P S S P dc calculated


D D D D n dc normal

Pore
Pressure Overburden Normal Pore
Grad. Stress Grad. Pressure Grad.
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 28
In normally pressured
shales, shale
compaction increases
with depth

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 29


Pore Pressure from
Resistivity

Shale resistivity plots


may be developed
from (i) logs or
(ii) cuttings
What is the pore 10,000
pressure at the point
indicated on the plot?
[Assume Gulf Coast].
Depth=10,000 ft
0.2 0.5 1 2 3
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 30
From plot, Rn = 1.55 ohms EATON
Robs = 0.80 ohms

From Eaton:

Depth
1 .2
P S S P R obs

D D D D n Rn

1 .2
0.80
0.95 0.95 0.465
P 10,000

D 1.55

= 0.7307 psi/ft = 14.05 lb/gal

P = 0.7307 * 10,000 = 7,307 psi


0.2 0.5 1 2 3
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 31
Prediction of
Abnormal Pore Pressure

Resistivity of Shale
Temperature in the Return Mud
Drilling Rate Increase
dc - Exponent
Sonic Travel Time
Conductivity of Shale
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EXAMPLE

Shale Resistivity
vs. Depth

1. Establish normal
trend line

2. Look for
deviations

(semi-log)

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Pore Pressure
Shale Resistivity (lb/gal equivalent)
vs. Depth 16 14 12 10

1. Establish normal
trend line
9 ppg
2. Look for
(normal)
deviations

3. Use OVERLAY
to quantify
pore pressure
(use with caution)
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 34
Example

8.2 X

Abnormal Pressure
Why?
10.1- 35
Determination of Abnormal Pore
Pressure Using the dc - exponent

From Ben Eaton:

1.2
P S S P d c

D D D D n d cn

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 36


1.2
P S S P d c

D D D D n d cn
P
Where formation pressure gradient, psi/ft
D
P
normal water gradient in area
D n
e.g., 0.433 or 0.465, psi/ft
S
overburden stress gradient, psi/ft
D
dc actual d c expon ent from plot

d cn d c exp onent from the normal trend


Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 37
Example
Calculate the pore
pressure at depth X using
the data in this graph.

Assume:
West Texas location with
normal overburden of
X
1.0 psi/ft.
X = 12,000 ft. 1.2 1.5
dc
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Example

From Ben Eaton:


1.2
P S S P d c

D D D D n d cn
1.2
1.2
1.0 [1.0 0.433]
1.5
P
0.5662 psi/ft
D
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 39
Example

P 0.5662 x 12,000 6794 psi


6794
EMW 10.9 lbm/gal
0.052 x 12,000

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 40


E.S. Pennebaker

Used seismic field data for the


detection of abnormal pressures.

Under normally pressured conditions the


sonic velocity increases with depth.
(i.e. Travel time decreases with depth)

(why?)
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 41
E.S. Pennebaker

Any departure from this trend is an


indication of possible abnormal
pressures.

Pennebaker used overlays to estimate


abnormal pore pressures from the
difference between normal and actual
travel times.

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 42


Interval Travel Time, msec per ft
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 43
Ben Eaton
also found a way to determine pore pressure
from interval travel times.

Example:
In a Gulf Coast well, the speed of sound is 10,000
ft/sec at a depth of 13,500 ft. The normal speed
of sound at this depth, based on extrapolated
trends, would be 12,000 ft/sec. What is the pore
pressure at this depth?

Assume: S/D = 1.0 psi/ft

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 44


Ben Eaton

From Ben Eaton,

P S S P t n
3. 0


D D D D n t
3
10,000
1.0 - [1.0 - 0.465]
12,000
0.6904 psi/ft
( t a 1/v )
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 45
Ben Eaton

From Ben Eaton

r = (0.6904 / 0.052) = 13.28 lb/gal

p = 0.6904 * 13,500 = 9,320 psig

Note: Exponent is 3.0 this time,


NOT 1.2!

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 46


Equations for Pore Pressure Determination
R
log 60 N

dC *
rNORMAL

12 W r
log ACTUAL
10 6 D
B

1 .2
P S S P dc calculated

d normal
D D D D n c
1 .2
P S S P R obs




D D D D n Rn
1 .2
P S S P Cn

D

C

D D D n o
3 .0
P S S P t n

D

t

D D D n o
Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 47
Pore Pressure Determination

Abnormal Pressure 10.1- 48

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