TAMU - Pemex

Well Control

Lesson 9B
Fracture Gradient
Determination
 Fracture Gradient
Determination
 Hubbert and Willis
 Matthews and Kelly
 Ben Eaton
 Christman
 Prentice
 Leak-Off Test (experimental)
2
 Well Planning
 Safe drilling practices require that the
following be considered when
planning a well:
 Pore pressure determination
 Fracture gradient determination
 Casing setting depth
 Casing design
 H2S considerations
 Contingency planning
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 The Hubbert & Willis Equation
 Provides the basis of fracture theory
and prediction used today.

 Assumes elastic behavior.

 Assumes the maximum effective stress

exceeds the minimum by
a factor of 3.

e _ max  3 *  e _ min
6
Cohesion, c = 0
Angle of Internal Friction,  = 30 deg.

7
 e _ max  3 *  e _ min
The Hubbert & Willis 1
 e _ min  * obe
Equation 3

 min  pp   *  ob  pp 
1
3

 If the overburden is the maximum stress,

the assumed horizontal stress is:
H = 1/3(ob - pp) + pp
 Equating fracture propagation pressure to
minimum stress gives
 pfp = 1/3(ob - pp) + pp
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 The Hubbert & Willis
Equation

 pfp = 1/3(ob - pp) + pp

 pfp = 1/3(ob + 2pp) (minimum)

 pfp = 1/2(ob + pp) (maximum)

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 Matthews and Kelly
 Developed the concept of variable ratio
between the effective horizontal and
vertical stresses, not a constant 1/3
as in H & W.
 Stress ratios increase according to the
degree of compaction
He = KMKve
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 Matthews and Kelly
eH = KMKev

 KMK = matrix stress coefficient

 Including pore pressure,

H = KMK(ob - pp) + pp

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 Matthews and Kelly
 Equating fracture initiation pressure to
the minimum in situ horizontal stress
gives
 pfi = KMK(ob - pp) + pp
 and
 gfi = KMK(gob - gp) + gp
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 Example 3.8

 Given: Table 3.4 (Offshore LA)

 Estimate fracture initiation gradients at

8,110’ and 15,050’ using Matthews
and Kelly correlation

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TABLE 3.4

ft psi/ft

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Fig. 3.38 Example 3.8
At 8,110 ft, KMK = 0.69:
gfi = 0.69(1 - 0.465) + 0.465
gfi = 0.834 psi/ft
For the undercompacted interval
KMK = 0.69 at 15,050 ft, the equivalent
depth is determined by Eq. 3.68:
 Ve ob  pp
KMK = 0.61 Deq  
gob  gn gob  gn

=[15,050-(0.815*15,050)]/0.535
= 5,204 ft
Here KMK = 0.6115
 Example 3.8
 At 15,050 ft, KMK = 0.61:
 gfi = 0.61*(1-0.815)+0.815 = 0.928 psi/ft

 0.928 / 0.052 = 17.8 lb/gal!

 Note: Overburden gradient was assumed

to be 1.0 psi/ft
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 Pennebaker’s Gulf Coast
 gfi = Kp(gob - gp) + gp

 where Kp is Pennebaker’s effective

stress ratio
gfi = Kp(gob - gp) + gp

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Pennebaker’s
overburden
gradient from
Gulf Coast
region

Well Depth, ft
Depth where
t = 100 sec/ft

Overburden Gradient, psi/ft 18

Pennebaker’s Effective Stress Ratio

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 Example 3.9

 Re-work Example 3.8

using Pennebaker’s correlations where
the travel time of 100 sec/ft is at
10,000 ft

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 100 sec at 10,000 ft

8,110

15,050

0.945 0.984 0.77 0.9421

 Example 3.9 gfi = Kp(gob - gp) + gp

At 8,110’
gfi = 0.77(0.945 - 0.465) + 0.465

gfi = 0.835 psi/ft

At 15,050’
gfi = 0.94(0.984 - 0.815) + 0.815
gfi = 0.974 psi/ft (18.7 ppg)

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 Eaton’s Gulf Coast
Correlation
 Based on offshore LA in moderate
water depths
 E 
gfi    gob  gp   gp
 1  E 

Note the bracketed Poisson' s ratio term

is an effective stress ratio
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From Eaton

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 Example 3.10 Estimate the fracture
gradient at 8,110 ft using Eaton’s Method
Mitchell’s approximation for Eaton’s Overburden
Relationship for the Gulf Coast:
2
 D   D 
gob  0.84753  0.01494    0.0006  
 1,000   1,000 
3
 D 
 1.199 * 10 5
  ............... 2.9 a 
 1,000 

gob  0.84753  0.01494  8.11  0.0006  8.11

2

 1.199 * 10 5  8.11
3

gob  0.936 psi / ft

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 Mitchell’s approximation for Eaton’s
Poisson’s Ratio for the Gulf Coast
2
 D   D 
E  0.23743  0.05945    0.00668  
 1,000   1,000 
3 4
 D   D 
 0.00035    6.71 * 10
6
  ..... 3.70 
 1,000   1,000 

E  0.23743  0.05945  8.11  0.00668  8.11

2

 0.00035  8.11  6.71 * 10 6  8.11

3 4

E  0.438
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 Example 3.10 – cont’d
 E 
gfi     gob  gp   gp ............ 3.69 
 1  E 

 0.438 
gfi     0.936  0.465   0.465
 1  0.438 

gfi  0.832 psi / ft

At 15,050 ft, Michell’s approximation yields:

gob = 0.977 psi/ft, E = 0.468 and gfi = 0.958 psi/ft.

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 Summary
 Note that all the methods take into
consideration the pore pressure
gradient.

 As the pore pressure increases, so

does the fracture gradient.

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 Summary
 Hubbert and Willis apparently consider
only the variation in pore pressure
gradient…

 Matthews and Kelly also consider the

changes in rock matrix stress
coefficient and the matrix stress.

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 Summary
 Ben Eaton considers variation in pore
pressure gradient, overburden
stress, and Poisson’s ratio.

 It is probably the most accurate of the

three.

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 Summary
 The last two are quite similar and yield
similar results.

 None of the above methods considers

the effect of water depth.

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 Christman’s approach
Christman took into consideration the
effect of water depth on overburden
stress.

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 Example 3.11
Estimate the fracture gradient for a
normally pressured formation located
1,490’ BML.
Water depth = 768 ft
Air gap = 75 ft
Sea Water Gradient = 0.44 psi/ft

Assume Eaton’s overburden for the Santa

Barbara Channel.
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Example 3.11 - Solution

From Fig. 3.42, next page

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Fig. 3.42- Christman’s Correlation for Santa Barbara Channel

1,490

0.451
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Example 3.12

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Fig. 3.45 - Procedure used to determine
the effective stress ratio in Example 3.12.

Effective
stress ratio

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 From
Barker
and Wood

And
Eaton and
Eaton

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Experimental Determination
Leak-off test, LOT, - pressure test in
which we determine the amount of
pressure required to initiate a fracture

Pressure Integrity Test, PIT, pressure

test in which we only want to determine if
a formation can withstand a certain
amount of pressure without fracturing.
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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
 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?

 Example
Leak-off pressure = PS + PHYD
= 1,000 + 0.052 * 9 * 4,000
= 2,872 psi
PLEAK OFF 2,872 psi

D 4,000 ft

Fracture gradient = 0.718 psi/ft

EMW = ?
??
PIT
How much surface pressure
will be required to test the
10.0 ppg casing seat to 14.0 ppg
equivalent?

ps = 0.052 * (EMW - MW) * TVDshoe

4,000’
ps = 0.052 * (14.0 - 10.0) * 4,000
ps = 832 psi

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LOT

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 Rupture

Leak-off

Propagation

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Example 3.21

Interpret the
leak-off test.

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 Solution
 pfi = 1,730 + 0.483 * 5,500 - 50
 1,730 psi = leak off pressure
 0.483 psi/ft = mud gradient in well
 5,500’ depth of casing seat
 50 psi = pump pressure to break
circulation
 pfi = 4,337 psi = 0.789 psi/ft
= 15.17 ppg
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54
What could cause this?

Poor Cement Job

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 Example
 Surface hole is
drilled to 1,500’ and
pipe is set. About 9.5 ppg
20’ of new hole is
drilled after
cementing. The 1,500’
shoe needs to hold
14.0 ppg equivalent
on a leak off test.
Mud in the hole has
a density of 9.5 ppg.
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 Example
What surface pressure do we need to
test to a 14.0 ppg equivalent?

(14.0 - 9.5) * 0.052 * 1,500 = 351 psi

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 Example
 The casing seat is tested to a leak off
pressure of 367 psi. What EMW did
the shoe actually hold?

 367/(0.052*1,500) + 9.5

EMW = 14.2 ppg

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 Example
 After drilling for some
time, TD is now 4,500’
and the mud weight is 10.2 ppg
10.2 ppg. What is the
maximum casing
pressure that the 1,500’
casing seat can
withstand without
fracturing? 4,500’

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 Example
 Max. CP = (EMW - MW) * 0.052 * TVDshoe

 Max. CP = (14.2 - 10.2) * .052 * 1500

 Max. CP = 312 psi

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 Example
 Now we are at a TD of 7,500 with a
mud weight of 13.7 ppg. What is the
maximum CP that the shoe can
withstand?

 Max. CP = (14.2 - 13.7) * 0.052 * 1,500

 Max. CP = 39 psi
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