IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,162,357
Granted Patent B2
US 11,162,357 · App. 16/428,185 · Granted Nov 2, 2021

Determining safe drilling mud weight

Inventors: Chao Liu (Houston, TX); Younane N. Abousleiman (Norman, OK); Yanhui Han (Katy, TX)
Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
E21B49/005E21B47/007E21B47/06E21B47/26G01V1/50G01V2210/646
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,162,357
App. No.
16/428,185
Granted
Nov 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A number of average compressibility values of a fractured rock in a wellbore from a depth of interest is determined, where each of the number of average compressibility values is determined according to a different average scheme. For each of the number of average compressibility values, a set of effective stresses' values based on that average compressibility value. For each determined set of stresses values, a set of mud weight window values is determined based on the set of stresses values. A mud weight for the wellbore is adjusted to be within the determined set of mud weight window.

Claims (34)

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining a plurality of average compressibility values of a fractured rock in a wellbore from a depth of interest, wherein each of the plurality of average compressibility values is determined according to a different average scheme;

for each of the plurality of average compressibility values, determining a set of effective stresses values based on a respective average compressibility value;

for each determined set of effective stresses values, determining a set of mud weight window values based on the set of effective stresses values; and

adjusting mud weight for the wellbore to be within a respective mud weight window value of the set of mud weight window values.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the different average scheme used to determine one of the plurality of average compressibility values is a harmonic mean, an arithmetic mean, or a geometric mean.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the set of effective stresses values comprises substituting the respective average compressibility value together with at least one of a wellbore trajectory, an in-situ stresses, a pore pressure, and a rock poromechanical properties to a dual-porosity poroelastic analytic solution.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining a set of stresses values comprises determining values of an effective tangential stress, an effective axial stress, an effective radial stress, and three different shear stresses.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , comprising determining a set of stress values based on a dual-porosity dual-permeability poroelastic model.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the set of mud weight window values further comprises selecting a set of mud weight window values with a smallest range of values.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the determined plurality of average compressibility values according to different average schemes is associated with fractures' geometrical characteristics.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining the set of mud weight window values based on the set of effective stresses values comprises applying at least one rock failure criteria to analyze wellbore stability.

9. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations comprising:

determining a plurality of average compressibility values of a fractured rock in a wellbore from a depth of interest, wherein each of the plurality of average compressibility values is determined according to a different average scheme;

for each of the plurality of average compressibility values, determining a set of effective stresses values based on a respective average compressibility value;

for each determined set of effective stresses values, determining a set of mud weight window values based on the set of effective stresses values; and

adjusting mud weight for the wellbore to be within a respective mud weight window value of the set of mud weight window values.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the different average scheme used to determine one of the plurality of average compressibility values is a harmonic mean, an arithmetic mean, or a geometric mean.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein determining the set of effective stresses values comprises substituting the respective average compressibility value together with at least one of a wellbore trajectory, an in-situ stresses, a pore pressure, and a rock poromechanical properties to a dual-porosity poroelastic analytic solution.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein determining a set of stresses values comprises determining values of an effective tangential stress, an effective axial stress, an effective radial stress, and three different shear stresses.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , comprising determining a set of stress values based on a dual-porosity dual-permeability poroelastic model.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein determining the set of mud weight window values further comprises selecting a set of mud weight window values with a smallest range of values.

15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the determined plurality of average compressibility values according to different average schemes is associated with fractures' geometrical characteristics.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein determining the set of mud weight window values based on the set of effective stresses values comprises applying a at least one rock failure criteria to analyze wellbore stability.

17. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

one or more computers; and

one or more computer memory devices interoperably coupled with the one or more computers and having tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, perform one or more operations comprising:

determining a plurality of average compressibility values of a fractured rock in a wellbore from a depth of interest, wherein each of the plurality of average compressibility values is determined according to a different average scheme;

for each of the plurality of average compressibility values, determining a set of effective stresses values based on a respective average compressibility value;

for each determined set of effective stresses values, determining a set of mud weight window values based on the set of effective stresses values; and

adjusting mud weight for the wellbore to be within a respective mud weight window value of the set of mud weight window values.

18. The computer-implemented system of claim 17 , wherein the different average scheme used to determine one of the plurality of average compressibility values is a harmonic mean, an arithmetic mean, or a geometric mean, and wherein the average scheme is associated with fractures' geometrical characteristics.

19. The computer-implemented system of claim 17 , wherein determining the set of effective stresses values comprises substituting the respective average compressibility value together with at least one of a wellbore trajectory, an in-situ stresses, a pore pressure, and a rock poromechanical properties to a dual-porosity poroelastic analytic solution.

20. The computer-implemented system of claim 17 , wherein determining a set of stresses values comprises determining values of an effective tangential stress, an effective axial stress, an effective radial stress, and three different shear stresses; and wherein the set of stresses values are determined based on a dual-porosity dual-permeability poroelastic model.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2019
From: SAUDI ARABIAN UPSTREAM TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 050850/0981 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2019
From: LIU, CHAO; ABOUSLEIMAN, YOUNANE N.; HAN, YANHUI
To: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANY
Reel/Frame 049336/0718 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2019
From: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANY
To: SAUDI ARABIAN UPSTREAM TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 049339/0138 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62678790 · May 31, 2018
Related Publication 20190368346A1 · Dec 5, 2019