Enhanced in-situ stress profiling with microfracture, core, and sonic-logging data

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · SPE Formation Evaluation (Society of Petroleum Engineers); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/19004-PA· OSTI ID:5848119

Ahmed, U; Markley, M E; Crary, S F ^[1]

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1. Schlumberger Well Services, Houston, TX (United States)

Knowledge of in-situ stress distribution, especially in the vertical direction, is vital to hydraulic-fracture geometry calculations. The microfracturing technique is recognized as the best method to measure in-situ stress directly. The technique, however, is typically limited to very few measurements and, at times, it is impractical to break down and measure in-situ stress in bounding nonproducing layers. Also, in layers with significant stress variation, microfracture measurements can be reflective of an average value of the variations and thus can be misleading. Alternative techniques like core measurements can suffer from depth discrepancies and lack of measurements at in-situ conditions. Sonic-logging methods can provide continuous in-situ measurements of rock mechanical properties; however, modeling stresses from mechanical properties have certain limitations. In this paper, the authors present a method that can compensate for the disadvantages of the individual techniques with the advantages of the others and thereby create relationships that can facilitate obtaining representative and continuous in-situ stress data. Data from two wells are presented to illustrate the method's applications.

• OSTI ID: 5848119
• Journal Information: SPE Formation Evaluation (Society of Petroleum Engineers); (United States), Journal Name: SPE Formation Evaluation (Society of Petroleum Engineers); (United States) Vol. 6:2; ISSN 0885-923X; ISSN SFEVE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
020300 -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294002 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Petroleum
CRACK PROPAGATION
DATA PROCESSING
DRILL CORES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FRACTURE MECHANICS
FRACTURING
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICS
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
SONIC LOGGING
STRESS ANALYSIS
WELL LOGGING