About this Training Course
Geomechanical evaluations are about the assessment of deformations and failure in the subsurface due to oil & gas production, geothermal operations, CO2 storage and other operations. All geomechanical evaluations include four types of modelling assumptions, which will be systematically addressed in this training, namely:
1. Geometrical modelling assumption: Impact of structural styles on initial stress and stress redistribution due to operations
2. Formation (or constitutive) behaviour: Linear elastic and non-linear behaviour, associated models and their parameters, and methods how to constrain these using
3. Initial stress: Relation with structural setting and methods to quantify the in-situ stress condition
4. Loading conditions: Changes in pore pressure and temperature on wellbore and field scale
This 5 full-day course starts with the determination of the stresses in the earth, the impact of different structural styles, salt bodies, faulting and folding on the orientation of the three main principal stress components. Different (field) data sources will be discussed to constrain their magnitude, while exercises will be made to gain hands-on experience.
Subsequently, the concepts of stress and strain will be discussed, linear elasticity, total and effective stress and poro-elasticity in 1D, 2D and 3D, as well as thermal expansion. Participants will be able to construct and interpret a Mohr-circles. Also, different failure mechanisms and associated models (plastic, viscous) will be discussed. All these concepts apply on a material point level.
Next, geomechanics on the wellbore scale is addressed, starting with the stress distribution around the wellbore (Kirsch equations). The impact of mudweight on shear and tensile failure (fracturing) will be calculated, and participants will be able to determine the mudweight window stable drilling operations, while considering well deviation and the use of oil-based and water-based muds (pore pressure penetration). Fracturing conditions and fracture propagation will be addressed.
Field-scale geomechanics is addressed on the fourth day, focussing on building a 3D geomechanical model that is fit-for-purpose (focussing on the risks that need evaluation). Here, geological interpretation (layering), initial stress and formation property estimation (from petrophysical logs and lab experiments) as well as determining the loading conditions come together.
The course is concluded with interpretation of the field-wide geomechanical response to reservoir depletion with special attention to reservoir compaction & subsidence, well failure and fault reactivation & induced seismicity. Special attention is paid to uncertainties and formulating advice that impacts decision-making during development and production stages of a project.
This course can also be offered through Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT) format.
Upon completing of this course, the participants will be able to:
- Identify potential project risks that may need a geomechanical evaluation
- Construct a pressure-depth plot based on available field data (density logs, (X)LOT, FIT, RFT)
- Employ log-based correlation function to estimate mechanical properties
- Produce a simplified, but appropriate geometrical (layered, upscaled) model that honours contrasts in initial stress, formation properties and loading conditions, including
- Construct and interpret a Mohr-circle for shear and tensile failure
- Calculate the mud weight that leads to shear and tensile failure (fracturing conditions)
- Identify potential lab experiments to measure required formation properties
- Describe the workflow and data to develop a field-wide fit-for-purpose geomechanical model
- Discuss the qualitative impact of pressure and temperature change on the risk related to compaction, well failure, top-seal integrity and fault reactivation
This course is intended for Drilling Engineers, Well Engineers, Production Technologists, Completion Engineers, Well Superintendents, Directional Drillers, Wellsite Supervisors and others, who wish to further their understanding of rock mechanics and its application to drilling and completion.
There is no specific formal pre-requisite for this course. However, the participants are requested to have been exposed to drilling, completions and production operations in their positions and to have a recommended minimum of 3 years of field experience.
- Intermediate
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Learn what past participants have said about EnergyEdge training courses
I am satisfied with the training. During training, the instructors addressed my confusion regarding understanding the geomechanics stresses theory. The calculation and exercises with numbers also helped me to visualize and understand better
Drilling Fluids Engineer, PETRONAS
The content was well prepared. Lots of useful theory and information given. Great explanation given by the trainers
Executive (Wells Tech Limit – Offshore), PETRONAS
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