1

PETE 411

Well Drilling
Lesson 22
Prediction of
Fracture Gradients
2
Prediction of Fracture Gradients
Well Planning
Theoretical Fracture Gradient Determination
Hubbert & Willis
Matthews & Kelly
Ben Eaton
Comparison of Results
Experimental Frac. Grad. Determination
Leak-off Tests
Lost Circulation
3
Read:

Applied Drilling Engineering, Ch. 6
HW #12
Casing Design
due Nov. 1, 2002
4
NOTE:

On all HW and Quizzes please put:







* PETE 411/501 (or 411/502)
* Name, written legibly
* Number of HW or Quiz

(on the outside)
Thank you!
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Well Planning
Safe drilling practices require that the
following be considered when
planning a well:
Pore pressure determination
Fracture gradient determination
Casing setting depth selection
Casing design
Mud Design, H
2
S considerations
Contingency planning
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Fig. 7.21
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8
Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress
Given: Well depth is 14,000 ft.
Formation pore pressure expressed
in equivalent mud weight is 9.2 lb/gal.
Overburden stress is 1.00 psi/ft.
Calculate:
1. Pore pressure, psi/ft , at 14,000 ft
2. Pore pressure, psi, at 14,000 ft
3. Matrix stress, psi/ft
4. Matrix stress, psi
9
Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress
o + = P S
overburden pore matrix
stress = pressure + stress
(psi) (psi) (psi)
S = P +
10
Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress
Calculations:

1. Pore pressure gradient
= 0.433 psi/ft * 9.2/8.33 = 0.052 * 9.2
= 0.478 psi/ft
2. Pore pressure at 14,000 ft
= 0.478 psi/ft * 14,000 ft
= 6,692 psig

Depth = 14,000 ft.
Pore Pressure = 9.2 lb/gal equivalent
Overburden stress = 1.00 psi/ft.
11
Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress
Calculations:
3. Matrix stress gradient,
psi

psi/ft
o / D = 0.522 psi/ft
o + = P S
D D
P
D
S
or
o
+ =
( ) ft / psi 478 . 0 000 . 1
D
P
D
S
D
., e . i = =
o
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Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress
Calculations:

4. Matrix stress (in psi) at 14,000 ft

= 0.522 psi/ft * 14,000 ft

o = 7,308 psi
13
Fracture Gradient Determination
In order to avoid lost circulation while
drilling it is important to know the variation
of fracture gradient with depth.

Leak-off tests represent an experimental
approach to fracture gradient determination.
Below are listed and discussed four
approaches to calculating the fracture
gradient.
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Fracture Gradient Determination
1. Hubbert & Willis:



where F = fracture gradient, psi/ft

= pore pressure gradient, psi/ft
D
P
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
D
P 2
1
3
1
F
min
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
D
P
1
2
1
F
max
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Fracture Gradient Determination
2. Matthews & Kelly:




where K
i
= matrix stress coefficient
o = vertical matrix stress, psi
D
P
D
K
F
i
+
o
=
16
Fracture Gradient Determination
3. Ben Eaton:




where S = overburden stress, psi
= Poissons ratio
D
P
1
*
D
P S
F +
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
.
|

\
|

=
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Example
A Texas Gulf Coast well has a pore pressure
gradient of 0.735 psi/ft. Well depth = 11,000 ft.

Calculate the fracture gradient in units of lb/gal
using each of the above four methods.

Summarize the results in tabular form, showing
answers, in units of lb/gal and also in psi/ft.
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1. Hubbert & Willis:


The pore pressure gradient,
( )
F
1
3
1 2*0.735 0.823
psi
ft
min
= + =
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
D
2P
1
3
1
F
min
P
D
0.735
psi
ft
=
Example - Hubbert and Willis
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Also,
F
0.823 psi / ft
0.052
psi / ft
lb / gal
min
=
|
\

|
.
|
F 15.83 lb / gal
min
=
Example - Hubbert and Willis
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Example - Hubbert and Willis
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
D
P
1
2
1
F
max
( ) 735 . 0 1
2
1
+ =
= 0.8675 psi/ft

F
max
= 16.68 lb/gal
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2. Matthews & Kelly

In this case P and D are known, may be
calculated, and is determined graphically.

(i) First, determine the pore pressure gradient.
D
K
D
P
F
i
o
+ =
o
i
K
Example
) given ( ft / psi 735 . 0
D
P
=
22
Example - Matthews and Kelly
(ii) Next, calculate the matrix stress.

=
=
=
=
ft , depth D
psi , pressure pore P
psi , stress matrix
psi , overburden S
o
S = P + o
o = S - P
= 1.00 * D - 0.735 * D
= 0.265 * D
= 0.265 * 11,000
o = 2,915 psi
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Example - Matthews and Kelly
(iii) Now determine the depth, , where,
under normally pressured conditions, the
rock matrix stress, o would be 2,915 psi.
i
D
S
n
= P
n
+ o
n
n = normal
1.00 * D
i
= 0.465 * D
i
+ 2,915
D
i
* (1 - 0.465) = 2,915
ft 449 , 5
535 . 0
915 , 2
D
i
= =
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Example -
Matthews and
Kelly
(iv) Find K
i
from
the plot on the
right, for


For a south Texas
Gulf Coast well,
D
i
= 5,449 ft
K
i
= 0.685
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Example - Matthews and Kelly
(v) Now calculate F:
D
P
D
K
F
i
+
o
=
735 . 0
000 , 11
915 , 2 * 685 . 0
F + =
ft / psi 9165 . 0 =
gal / lb 63 . 17
052 . 0
9165 . 0
F = =
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Example
Ben Eaton:
D
P
1
*
D
P S
F +
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
.
|

\
|

=
? ?
D
S
= =
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Variable Overburden Stress by
Eaton
At 11,000 ft
S/D = 0.96 psi/ft
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Fig. 5-5
At 11,000 ft
= 0.46
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Example - Ben Eaton
From above graphs,
at 11,000 ft.:
D
P
1 D
P
D
S
F +
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
.
|

\
|
=

46 . 0 ; ft / psi 96 . 0
D
S
= =
( ) 735 . 0
46 . 0 1
46 . 0
735 . 0 96 . 0 F +
|
.
|

\
|

=
F = 0.9267 psi/ft
= 17.82 lb/gal
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Summary of Results
Fracture Gradient
psi.ft lb/gal
Hubbert & Willis minimum: 0.823 15.83
Hubbert & Willis maximum: 0.868 16.68
Mathews & Kelly: 0.917 17.63
Ben Eaton: 0.927 17.82
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Summary of Results
Note that all the methods take into
consideration the pore pressure gradient.
As the pore pressure increases, so does
the fracture gradient.

In the above equations, Hubbert & Willis
apparently consider only the variation in
pore pressure gradient. Matthews &
Kelly also consider the changes in rock
matrix stress coefficient, and in the
matrix stress ( K
i
and o
i
).
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Summary of Results
Ben Eaton considers
variation in pore pressure gradient,
overburden stress and
Poissons ratio,

and is probably the most accurate of
the four methods. The last two
methods are actually quite similar, and
usually yield similar results.
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Similarities
Ben Eaton:
D
P
1
*
D
P S
F +
|
|
.
|

\
|

|
.
|

\
|

=
Matthews and Kelly:
D
P
D
K
F
i
+
o
=
35
9
10
11
12
14
16
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Pore Pressures
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Experimental Determination of
Fracture Gradient
The leak-off test

Run and cement casing
Drill out ~ 10 ft
below the casing seat
Close the BOPs
Pump slowly and
monitor the pressure
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45
80
105
120
120
120
120
120
120
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20
39
40
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Experimental Determination of
Fracture Gradient
Example:
In a leak-off test below the
casing seat at 4,000 ft, leak-off
was found to occur when the
standpipe pressure was 1,000
psi. MW = 9 lb/gal.

What is the fracture gradient?
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Example
Leak-off pressure = P
S
+ AP
HYD
= 1,000 + 0.052 * 9 * 4,000
= 2,872 psi



Fracture gradient = 0.718 psi/ft

EMW = ?
ft
psi
000 , 4
872 , 2
D
P
OFF LEAK
=