MBDCI

6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

Maurice Dusseault
 MBDCI

Drilling in Overpressured Zones

For practical purposes ($), reducing the
number of casings or liners is desirable

However, drilling in OP zones carries
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

simultaneous risks of blowouts and lost

circulation that are difficult to manage.

There now exist new options that help us:
 Drilling slightly above hmin with LCM in the
mud
 Bicentre bits and expandable casings

Understanding overpressure and also the

deep zone of stress reversion will help
 MBDCI

Pressures at Depth
Fresh water: ~10 MPa/km
8.33 ppg
~10 MPa pressure (MPa)
0.43 psi/frt
Sat. NaCl brine: ~12 MPa/km
10 ppg
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

0.516 psi/ft

1 km Hydrostatic pressure distribution: p(z) = wgz

Underpressured case:
underpressure ratio = p/(wgz),
a value less than 0.95

Overpressured case:
overpressure ratio = p/(wgz),
underpressure
overpressure a value greater than 1.2

Normally pressured range:

0.95 < p(norm) < 1.2
depth
 MBDCI

Some Definitions

For consistency, some definitions:

Hydrostatic: po = weight column of water
above the point, = 8.33 ppg to 10 ppg in
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

exceptional cases of saturated NaCl brine

Underpressure is defined as po less than 95%
of the hydrostatic po, usually found only at
relatively shallow depths (<2 km) or in regions
of very high relief (canyons)

Mild overpressure: po of 10 ppg to 60% v

Medium overpressure: po of 60 to 80% v

Strong overpressure: po > 80% of v
 MBDCI

Abnormal Pressure, Gradient Plot

1.0 2.0
0
Typically, po is close to
hydrostatic in the upper

16.7 ppg
1 region
hmin is close to v in
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

po

hmin
2 v shallow muds, soft shale,
thick shale but lower in stiff competent
sequence
3 deeper shale

A sharp transition zone is
po
4 common (200-600 m)
Target A
The OP zone may be 2-3
5 km thick
Target B

A stress reversion zone may
6 Target C exist below OP
depth - kilometres
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling GoM The Classic OP Regime
MBDCI
 MBDCI

Other Well-Known Strong OP Areas

Iran, Tarim Basin (China), North Sea, Offshore
Eastern Canada, Caspian

In many thick basins, OP is found only at
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

depth, without a sharp transition zone

Most common in young basins that filled
rapidly with thick shale sequences
 Good ductile shale seals, undercompaction
 Watch out for OP related to salt tectonics!

These are most common offshore:

 Land basins have often undergone uplift
 Tectonics have allowed pressures to dissipate
 MBDCI

Eastern Canada
Overpressured Areas
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

Nova Scotia Gas Belt

Importance of Geomechanics
Exports
 MBDCI

Porosity vs Depth & Overpressure

0 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.0

porosity
sands & mud
sandstones
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

clay Anomalously high

clay & shale,
normal line , low vP, vS, and
mud- other properties
stone may indicate OP
In some cases, 28%
at depths of 6 km!
shale

effect of OP
on porosity
4-8 km +T
depth slate (deep)
 MBDCI

Permeability and Depth

Muds and shales have 0
Permeability k Darcies
1 2 3 4 5
low k, < 0.001 D, and as
Muds and
low as 10-10 D Shales Sands and Sandstones
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

5

Exception: in zones of

Depth z 1000s ft
deep fractured shale, k Intact muds and shales
10 have negligible k
can approach 0.1-1 D

Sands drop in k with z 15
High porosity OP sands
have anomalously high

Exception, high sands, porosity & permeability

OP zones can have high k 20

Anhydrite, salt k = 0! Fractured shales at depth may

have high fracture permeability
25

Carbonates, it depends
 MBDCI

Abnormal po Causes

Delayed compaction of thick shale zones
 Water is under high pressure
 Leak off to sands is very slow (low k)
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

Thermal effects (H2O expansion)

Nearby topographic highs (artesian effect)

Hydrocarbon generation (shales expel HCs, they
accumulate in traps at higher po)

Gypsum dewatering ( anhydrite + H2O)

Mineral change (Smectite Illite + H2O + SiO2)

Isolated sand diagenesis (, no drainage)
 MBDCI

Mechanisms for OP Generation

Compaction = Mud, clays

H2O expelled to sand 0-2000 m
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

bodies, especially
from swelling clays H2H020 Sand H20

Shale 2000-4000 m
Montmorillonite = much H2O
Sandstone

Diagenesis 4000-6000 m

Illite Compaction and

+ Free H2O
Kaolinite
+ SiO2 Clay Diagenesis
Chlorite
 MBDCI

Mechanisms for OP Generation

Artesian effect (high elevation recharge)
rain

Thrust tectonics (small effect)
Deep thermal expansion
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

clays and silts

Artesian charging
3-10 km Artesian charging is
usually shallow only Thrusting can lead
to some OP

+T = +V of H2O:
20-100 km thermal expansion at depth
 MBDCI

Offshore: Trapping of OP

Listric faults on continental margins lead to

isolated fault blocks, good seals, high OP in the
isolated sand bodies from shale compaction
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

down-to-the-sea or listric faults

sea
stress

shale v
slip planes shale h
po

Sand bodies that have no

drainage because of fault seals, depth
OP is trapped indefinitely
Stress reversion zone
 MBDCI

HC Generation and OP

HCs generated
in organic shales
v T, p,
shale increase
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

kerogen Semi-solid
organics, kerogen,
po < h < v

micro- v
fissure high T, p, po = h < v,
Fractures develop
and grow

sands Pressured fluids are

fluid oil and gas expelled through the
flow fracture network, po
stored in OP sands
generation of hydrocarbon fluids
 MBDCI

OP From Gas Cap Development

Thick gas cap development,

A
pressures along A-A perhaps charged from below,
can generate high OP
stress
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

gas cap,
gas cap low density
effect

oil, density
= 0.75-0.85 A
Gas migration along
fractured zones,
faults, etc.
po h Deep gas source
Fractured rock
depth around fault

Gas rises: gravitational segregation

 MBDCI

Abnormal Pressure Sand-Shales

Overpressure is often generated due to shale
compaction and clay diagenesis

Montmorillonite (smectite) changes to
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

lllite/Chlorite at depth. H20 is generated and is

a source of OP.

Pressure is generated in shales, sands
accumulate pressure

PF commonly higher in shales than sands

Sand-shale osmotic effects (salinity
differences) can also contribute to OP
 MBDCI

PF in GoM Sand-Shale Sequences

Absolute stress values Stress gradient plot

stress
PF in sand line hmin v
hmin v z z
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

shale

sandstone

shale

sandstone

limestone

shale
depth depth
Pore pressure distribution, top of OP zone
 MBDCI

Some Additional Comments

Casing shoes are set in shales (98%)

The LOT value reflects the higher hmin in the
shales, therefore a higher PF
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

As we drill deeper, through sands, the actual

hmin value is less! By as much as 1 ppg in
some regions

Can be unsafe, particularly when we increase
MW rapidly at the top of the OP zone

You should test this using FIT while drilling
 MBDCI

Examination of a Typical Synthetic

6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

OP Case
 MBDCI

Particularly Difficult OP Case

1.0 (8.33 ppg) 2.0 (16.7 ppg)
0

Deep water drilling,
Sea water depth 800 m mud heavier than H2O
1
800 m soft sediments
Thick soft sediments
section, PF ~ h ~ v
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

2000 m medium stiff

2 shales and silts

Thin, shallow, gas-
3 po h v charged sand
seal sharp
Zone where h is
transition
4 roughly unchanged
1400 m OP zone

Sharp transition zone
5

Reversion

High OP, 90% of v
zone
6
Deep zone of stress
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km) and pressure reversion
 MBDCI

Upper Part of Hole

1.0 (8.33 ppg) 2.0 (16.7 ppg)
0
The vertical lines are several
MW choices
9.16 ppg
10.0 ppg

Sea water - 800 m
Riser and first csg. MW

6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

9.16 ppg does not control

1
800 m soft sediments
2 deeper drlg.
Medium stiff
shales and silts
Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)
gas, but only fractures
above 950 m

10.0 ppg controls gas, but
losses above 1200 m will be
a problem. It does allow

Solution, riser seat at ~1000
m

Casing shoe at ~1400 m
 MBDCI

Riser Issues in this Example

Sea water is ~ 1.03 ~8.6 ppg

At great depth, MW may be as high as 2.02
(17 ppg) if the riser is exposed fully
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

The pressure at the riser bottom is very

large: 800m 9.81 (2.02 1.03) = 7.8 MPa

The riser must be designed to take this

Or, special sea-floor level equipment must be
installed

Special mud lift systems from the sea floor,
etc.
 MBDCI

Approaching the Transition Zone

1.0 (8.33 ppg) 2.0 (16.7 ppg)
LOT of 1.3, 10.83 ppg
0

This limits us to 3.6 km for
Sea water - 800 m
the next casing
However, this will require a
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

1

800 m soft sediments liner to go through
transition zone
2000 m
2 shales and
Liner from 3600 m to 3750
silts
3800 m
po h v
If it is possible to drill 100
3 m deeper initially, to 3700
m, we may save the liner
sharp
transition ($1,000,000)
4 OP zone

Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)

 MBDCI

Solution A: Casing or Liners

1.0 (8.33 ppg) 2.0 (16.7 ppg)
0
This is the most
Sea water conservative, safest,
and the most costly
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

1

Black line is MWmax
2000 m shales

If shale problems
2 and silts occur in the 1.6-3.6
km shale zone,
po h v requiring an extra
3 casing (i.e., little
margin for error)

4 OP zone
 MBDCI

Soln B: Drill OB With LCM?

1.0 (8.33 ppg) 2.0 (16.7 ppg)
0
Dashed line is from the
Sea water
previous slide

Drilling with the purple
line, saves a liner!
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

This is ~1.2 ppg OB at the

2000 m shales shoe (quite a bit!)
2 and silts  Place upper casings deeper
if possible
 Drill with LCM in mud (see
po h v analysis approach in
3 Additional Materials)
 Place a denser pill at final
casing trip
4 OP zone
 (Approach with caution)

Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)

 MBDCI

Solution C: Deeper Upper Casings

1.0 (8.33 ppg) 2.0 (16.7 ppg)
300 m subsea primary
0 casing depth
Sea water
Casing at 1850 m depth
Drill long shale section
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

1
with MW shown as dashed
black line

Increase MW only in last
2
100 m (LCM to plug
Slight OB ballooning at the shoe)
needed

Slight OB of 0.2-0.3 ppg
3
needed
h v

Casing may be saved (?)
po
4 OP zone

Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)

 MBDCI

Deeper Upper Casing Shoes

Depending on the profile of OP stresses and
pressures, this approach can be effective, but in
some cases it is not
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

Of course, the best approach is always to place

the shoes as deeply as possible

This may give us a one-string advantage
deeper in the well if problems encountered

At shallow depths (mudline to ~4000 ft), use
published correlations with caution because
there are few good LOT data
 MBDCI

Comments on the Approaches

There is risk associated with saving a casing
string: risks must be well-managed

The stress/pressure distribution sketched is
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

a particularly difficult case:

 Shallow pressured gas seam at 1500 m subsea
 PF (h) is quite low around 3000 m subsea

 Transition zone is very sharp (~250 m)

 OP is high (88-90% of v)

However, it could even be worse!

 More gas zones, depleted reservoirs at 3.6 km
 Etc
 MBDCI

Drilling Through a Reversion Zone

Below OP, usually a zone where po, h (PF)
gradually revert to normal values. This is
rarely a sharp transition as at top of OP
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

This is related to fractured shales that bleed

off OP (i.e. lower OP seal is gone)

Also, when shales change and shrink, the h
value (PF) drops as well

Reverse internal blowout possibility
 Blowout higher in hole
 Fracturing lower in hole
 MBDCI

Stress Reversion at Depth

stress (or pressure)

vertical stress, v
horizontal stress, h
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

pore pressure, po

Note that hmin can become > v

4 km
depth Region of strong
overpressure

Higher k rocks Stresses revert to

Z (fractured shales) more ordinary state
 MBDCI

Same Example
1.0 (8.33 ppg) 2.0 (16.7 ppg)

OP casing was set at 3800
m depth
4
Drill with 16.7 ppg MW
1400 m OP zone
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

At 5.5 km, large losses

If we reduce MW, high po
at 4.6 km can blow out,
flow to bottom hole at 5.5
5
km (reverse internal BO)
Reversion
zone

Set casing at 5450 m

Drill ahead with reduced
MW
6 po h v

Z kilometers (3279 ft/km)

 MBDCI

Real Deep Overpressure Drilling

Watch out for shallow gas
sands

Dark black line: MWmax
for the interval
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

Dashed black line is the

actual drilling MW

Red stars: excessive shale
caving, blowouts

Green stars: ballooning
and losses

Surface casing string not
drawn on figure

This is a deep North Sea case, west of Shetlands

 MBDCI

Detecting OP Before Drilling

Seismic stratigraphy and velocity analysis
 Anomalously low velocities, high attenuations
 Can often detect shallow gas-charged sands (unless
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

they are really thin, < 2-3 m)

Geological expectations (right conditions, right
type of basin and geological history)

Offset well data, good earth model, so that
lateral data extension is reliable
 MBDCI

Detecting OP While Drilling

Changes in the Dr exponent, penetration rate
may increase rapidly in OP zone

Changes in seismic velocity (tP increases)
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

Changes in porosity of the cuttings (surface

measurements or from MWD)

Changes in the resistivity of shales from the
basin trend lines

Changes in the SP log

Changes in drill chip and cavings shapes, also
volumes if MW < po

Mud system parameters, etc
 MBDCI

Comments on LWD

Methods of data transmission

Mud pulse 2 bits/s @ 30,000, 12-25 b/s is
good at any depth
6-D High Overpressure Origins and Drilling

Issues in data transmission:

 Long wells, extended reach
 OBM, electrical noise, drilling noise

 ID changes in the drill string

 Pump harmonics, stick/slip sources

Wire pipe extremely expensive

High rate on out-trip, then download on rig

New technologies will likely emerge soon