Investigation and Estimation of Changes in Pore Pressure and Effective

Stress on Sandstone Reservoir During Hydrocarbon Production

Kurniawan Adha1, Wan Ismail Wan Yusoff1, Luluan Almanna Lubis1
1

Petroleum Geoscience Department

Universiti Teknologi Petronas
Tronoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan - Malaysia
kurniawanadha@yahoo.com

Abstract Estimation of the correct pore pressure and

effective stress can affect the safety, economics and success in
production and recovery of oil and gas. From time to time the
oil and gas reservoir is always produced to meet energy
demands. But today, for answering oil and gas demands, the
recovery of mature oil field are often executed. Although, the
recovery mature oil field can be the solution of this problem,
consideration to change of reservoir characterization is quite
important. Since the production might be change the
characteristic of reservoir, especially the changes in pore
pressure and effective stress. In this study, the analysis consists
of investigation and estimation of changes in pore pressure and
effective stress through direct measurement and laboratory
analysis during the production of hydrocarbons. For
illustrating production history, there will be three scenario of
oil saturation (100%, 80% and 60%) that will be injected in to
the core (from real reservoirs). The investigation will
encompass the velocity (Vp and Vs) variations due to
modification of the confining pressure, pore pressure using
Auto Lab 500. Other parameters will be derived from velocity
data such as AI, EI and poisson ratio. The model will be
developed from laboratory results and will be verified by data
analysis. In consequence of various types of reservoirs and the
laboratory equipment (Auto Lab 500) can be arranged its
reservoirs condition, the estimate model from this study might
be applied universally in different type reservoir condition.
Keywordspore pressure; effective stress; hydrocarbon
production; velocity; temperature

I.

INTRODUCTION

ore pressure at certain depth is of absolutely importance

in reservoir analysis, prior drilling and during
production while presence of pore pressure data can save the
money and avoid all unwanted event such as blowout and
another hazards. Generally, sandstone reservoir is one of
common reservoir in the world. Apparently, as the common
reservoir, from time to time sandstone reservoir has
produced for fulfilling oil demands. Nevertheless, there are
still rooms of reservoir recovery for answering the request
of oil and gas demands.
Most of the methods suggested are special and
unique to specify geological setting, depositional
environment, overpressure mechanism and many others.
Among of many methods, velocity method using seismic or
well or both data to determine pore pressure is most
frequently used [1]. The main model is velocity changes
through different confining pressure, temperature and pore

pressure. The model is characterized by the decreasing of

velocity from normal pressure to overpressure, caused by
the sound travel faster when the effective pressure higher.
The effective pressure (net pressure) is the difference
betwen overburden pressure and pore pressure. The
effective stress and velocity have a linear relationship [2].
Pore pressure can be altered due to some process,
these processes are able to increase the pore pressure or
decrease the pore pressure. The process that decreases the
pore pressure is reservoir production (depletion) [3]. Along
production, the reduction in pore volume will increase
effective or inter granular stress [4]. During same time, the
reduction of pore pressure will increase the volume of the
solid material or grains. The deformation of the reservoir
rock depends on the pore pressure and initial total stress, the
pore pressure will be reduced, the effective stress path and
the mobilization of the shear strength including failure
behavior.
Regarding problems associated with the
deformation and alteration of stress due to depleting of
reservoirs is important for many reasons. One of the reason,
in recovery mature reservoirs still encountered several
problems. In such, there are unsuccessful EOR activities
which is by the error in determining the characteristic of the
reservoir, including the changes of pore pressure [5].
Another challenge that we have to consider is the reservoir
has some types, starting from normal reservoir condition
until HPHT condition when the pore pressure over 70 Mpa
and temperature over than 1500C. Different reservoir
condition has different characteristic especially in pore
pressure and effective stress [4].
Recent years, there has been much study conducted
to identify and determine pore pressure. However, most of
pore pressure determination by data analysis (software) and
rarely performs laboratory analysis or core direct
measurement. But this study focuses in creating model of
velocity and temperature changes due to changes in pore
pressure and effective stress using direct measurements
(laboratory measurements) by core samples as represent the
reservoir rock. In addition, oil injected into the core sample
which is used for illustrating the production history and then
correlated the model with small stratigraphy sequence as
guide model for distribution. Furthermore, the equipment
used in this study can control the pressure (confining and

pore) and the temperature at reservoir condition with

expectations this study can address the problem or challenge
in pore pressure and effective stress estimation including the
different types of reservoir condition and characteristic.
Moreover, the model might be applied to investigate the
changes of pore pressure and effective stress due to
hydrocarbon production.
This study will characterize effective stress
changes, where effective stress represent the portion of the
total stress carried by the rock grains or come from total
stress minus pore pressure [6]. This analysis through
laboratory testing and measurement for developing a model
about estimation of pore pressure and effective stress
changes due to production , then performs justification and
application of the model towards well and seismic data
analysis.
II.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A. Pore Pressure and Effective Stress

Pore pressure is the pressure which is formed by
the fluid contained in the pores space of rocks maintained at
depths. When there are not any processes, the pore pressure
is simply equal to the weight of the overlying fluid, under
the same circumstances the total of vertical stress is equal to
the weight of the overlying fluid and rock. This pressure is
often referred to as hydrostatic pressure. However, there
are several condition that can cause the pore pressure to be
different from hydrostatic pressure. Pore pressure is
defined as the difference between overburden pressure (S)
to effective stress (), which can be written as follows[6].
P=S-
Since pore pressure and horizontal stress are
interrelated, changes in pore pressure also cause similar
changes in stress. The mathematical relationship between
stress and pore pressure is defined in terms of the effective
stress. Implicitly, the effective stress is that portion of the
external load from total stress that is carried by the rock
itself. Effective stress (), controls sediment compaction
process, in the case the reduction of the effective pressure at
certain depth means a reduction in the yield of rock
compaction pressure [7]
A new calculation method can accommodate the
normal compaction, under compaction and unloading
condition in a calculation formula which can be calibrated
with other data. This formula can be obtained by
determining Vo based on the normal compaction and
coefficients and exponents for the effective pressure [8].
The method uses the assumption that the empirical
relationship between the effective pressure and velocity,
which can be formulated as follows.
V= Vo + AB.
Where A and B are described as variations in
velocity to increase the effective pressure. When the data
rate is already known, the effective pressure estimated from
the following calculation.
= ((V-Vo) / A)1/b
The heat flow per unit temperature gradient and the
function of rock type, pressure, temperature and anisotropy

are referring to thermal conductivity. Assumed that the

thermal conductivity as rock property based on some
reasons, although the thermal conductivity across a reservoir
rock is the total of thermal conductivity of rock and the
containing fluid. The thermal conductivity is function of
temperature. Although, the effect of the temperature for
sandstone is small compared to other minerals over the
range of reservoir temperature, temperature gradient can
still be used as a parameter for thermal conductivity. The
effect of temperature is taken into consideration while the
effects of pressure are significant [9].
B. Core Sample
In order to accommodate the laboratory analysis for
investigating the changes of pore pressure and effective
stress due to hydrocarbon production, a number of reservoir
rock samples having different porosity and permeability are
selected for this study. All samples are sediment reservoir.
The samples are cut and shaped in to cylindrical form with 1
inch in diameter. The sample are from Miri outcrop and
berea sandstone. The whole of core samples are cleaned to
remove the remaining oil and/or salt before conducting
porosity and permeability analysis [table 1].
Table 1. Porosity and permeability data of core sample
Samples
Miri 1
Miri 2

Parameters
Porosity
Permeability
23.59
378.224
22.74
346.315

Miri 3

23.40

287.403

Berea clean sandstone

17.48

176.74

C. Miri Field
This study used core sample from Miri Field. As the
birthplace of Malaysian petroleum industry the oil
exploration began in 1910 in Miri field. The Miri formation
consists of sand member that are very important in oil and
gas reservoirs, especially in early production in Malaysia.
The formation consists of siliciclastic sequence of a
succession of clay-sand packages that are coarsening
upwards. The age of formation is middle miocene and
exposed around Miri city, Serawak, Malaysia which uplifted
part of subsurface, oil-bearing sedimentary strata of the Miri
Field and possibly also for the offshore fields [10]
D. Hydrocarbon Production and Pore Pressure History
During production, the change in reservoir
condition is a natural thing to happen. With Exceptionally
the reducing in volume of oil, transformation of
hydrocarbon contact (Oil water contact (OWC), Gas Oil
contact (GOC) ), pressure gradient and many others. As we
know, today more of the global reserves of petroleum
industry are added by increasing the recovery in existing
fields rather than by discovering new fields.
Pressure gradient represent the reservoirs fluids
increments in pressure in relation to a given increase in

depth. During production, there are changes in pressure

gradients due to out of fluid contain. It is possible to ensure
whether the reservoir has lost energy and to identify the
acting of drive mechanism. If along depletion, the line
shows the pore pressure gradient of the hydrocarbons moves
parallel, but unchanged in water zone, it sign that aquifer is
a very active (Figure 1). However, when the pore pressure
profiles of both the water and the hydrocarbon zones are
purely offset parallel to the original ones, the reservoir is
volumetric type and the horizontal offset of the pore
pressure profile indicates a loss of energy from the system
(Figure 2). In this case, the aquifer is not active, or only
slightly so, and the depth of contact will remain practically
unchanged [11]
Knowing the pressure history is quite important;
especially the changes of pore pressure during depletion for
succeeding in the oil recovery and cannot despite the fact
that pore pressure has large impact for this recovery. In
addition, a reservoir may be overpressured, giving it the
potential to flow to surface. If the wells are not managed
properly a blow out or other unwanted event may occur.

Figure 1 . Pore pressure profile changes with change in OWC

E. General Experiment Procedure

There are several stages in the procedures that will be
conducted in this experiment. The stages involve collecting
data, preparation of samples include coring and cutting of
samples, determination of porosity and permeability of
sample (core sample), pore pressure investigation used
direct measurement, and developed model and justification
the model.
The main parameters in this study are temperature
changes and velocity changes due to changes in pore
pressure and effective stress during production. From
velocity changes, the next step is determining others
parameters such as Vp/Vs, Poisson ratio, AI and EI. On the
other side, other parameters including temperature gradient
and heat flow can be determined from temperature changes.
The first procedure in this study is collecting data
where in this process involve field study, collecting sample
and other data necessary for the analysis. After that, corring
and cutting sample in 1 inch diamater. The samples are
cleaned to remove the remaining oil and/or salt before
performs porosity and permeability analysis
Both of velocity and temperature changes are the main
parameters that used for determining and identifying pore
pressure and effective stress change during production. To
obtain parameters that are needed to build the model, there
are several methods need to be performed. Direct
measurement or laboratory analysis divided in two main
scope. First, velocity analysis before to some action to the
sample used SONIC OYO . The velocity result from this
analysis used for velocity picking guide to next analysis.
Second, Auto Lab 500 is mandatory equipment that used
for this study. To describe production history in this study,
there are three scenario of oil saturation conducted. Firstly
the sample inject by crude oil into 100 % oil saturation, then
the reduce the oil contain to 80% and lastly in 60 % oil
contains using core flooding.
The main results from this analysis are velocity
variations caused by changes of some parameters. Consist of
changes in temperature, confining pressure and pore
pressure. Velocity variations derived from alter values of
temperature, pore pressure and confining pressure for
estimated and identify the correlation between them.
Confining pressure is set from 1000 to 10000 psi, pore
pressure from 1000 to 5000 psi and temperature from 100c
to 1000c.
Developing and verifying the model is the end
result of this study. Trend derived from laboratory
measurements and analysis will be developed into a model
and performed justification with data analysis. In this study,
data analysis of well and seismic are supporting data for
support the final model.
III.

Figure 2. Pore pressure profile changes with change in OWC

EXPECTED RESULTS

The pore pressure will be reduced due to production or

depletion. Reservoir depletion is one of processes that
decrease pore pressure and reduction in volume will bring
down the pore pressure over time. During oil and/or gas
production, the pore pressure within the reservoir is
reduced. The rates of pore pressure drop are controlled by

the rate from the surrounding rocks. The trend of pore

pressure line will be reduced due to production like example
model as shown example result at figure 3.
Combination of several parameters will give proper
determination in pore pressure estimation. Based on the
limitations of the existing methods which generally uses
velocity as the main parameters in the determination of pore
pressure, the model resulted from the combination several
methods such us velocity, temperature and poisson ratio that
can estimate the pore pressure and effective stress more
properly.
Reservoir has some types, starting from normal
reservoir condition until HPHT condition when the pore
pressure over 70 Mpa and temperature over than 1500C.
Different reservoir condition has different characteristic
especially in pore pressure and effective stress. This is
becasue the reservoir condition can be arranged by the
equipment used in this study. The estimate model from this
study might be applied universally in different type
reservoir condition.

Figure 3. Example estimate model of pore pressure for this study

for got the point of velocity

IV.

CONCLUSIONS

Determining pore pressure is quite important for the

petroleum industry, because drilling into overpressure zone
is very risky and hazardous. The success in drilling,
production and recovery of the mature field is a main reason
for paying attention in pore pressure estimation. The
presence of pore pressure data can affect safety, reservoir
depletion history.
Today, oil and gas industry is an industry still one of
critical industry in the world, since oil and gas energy still
needed by the human civilization. After such a long time
hydrocarbon field production, the production rate will
always decline due production of oil. Improve in oil
recovery and exploration are the main activity which is
conducted in the world.
The main contribution of this study is improving our
understanding of the changes in pore pressure and effective
stress during hydrocarbon production.

V.
1.

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