Abstract
The magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress is generally the most challenging term in estimating the full stress tensor. In this paper, an approach to constrain the magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress using the frictional limits to stress and wellbore failure observations (drilling-induced tensile fractures DITFs and/or breakouts BOs) from image logs is presented. This approach is applied to constrain the magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress at some interest depths (3900 m, 4100 m, 4300 m and 4500 m) of the basement reservoirs at the White Tiger field, Cuu Long basin, Vietnam from the program STRESS POLYGON. The occurrence of DITFs and/or BOs proved to be useful in estimating stresses around the wellbore, especially the maximum horizontal stress magnitude.
Highlights
Knowledge of in-situ stress is an important issue for understanding of many processes in both science and engineering problems such as geology, geophysics, earthquake, civil, mining and petroleum development
To the case at the depth of 3900m, because there are a lot of BOs but no Drilling-induced tensile fractures (DITFs) at this depth the magnitude of maximum horizontal stress SHmax may be higher than 84.76 MPa but lower than 93.35 MPa
An integrating approach to constrain the maximum horizontal stress magnitude is established from theory of the frictional limits to stress and constraints on the occurrence of wellbore failures (DITFs and/or BOs) from image logs
Summary
Knowledge of in-situ stress is an important issue for understanding of many processes in both science and engineering problems such as geology, geophysics, earthquake, civil, mining and petroleum development. An approach to constrain the magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress using the frictional limits to stress and wellbore failure observations (drilling-induced tensile fractures DITFs and/or breakouts BOs) from image logs is presented. At the given interest depths, commonly values of the vertical stress Sv, the minmum horizontal stress Shmin and the pore pressure Pp are known the magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress SHmax can be constrained by the observations of the wellbore failures on logging images and the frictional faulting theory (frictional limits to stress) This approach is applied to constrain the magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress at some interest depths (3900 m, 4100 m, 4300 m and 4500 m) of the basement reservoirs at the White Tiger field, Cuu Long basin, Vietnam. The occurrence of DITFs and/or BOs proved to be useful in estimating stresses around the wellbore, especially the maximum horizontal stress magnitude
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call