Quantitative Determination of the Mechanical Properties of Shales

Abstract

Summary Shales make up more than 75% of drilled formations and cause at least 90% of wellbore-stability problems. Physical measurements of shale properties are required to develop realistic constitutive relationships and to understand and define shale strength and behavior under downhole conditions. Quantitative shale-strength data are needed to improve wellbore-stability model predictions. This paper describes a research test program to determine the mechanical properties of different classes of shales and to build a database on their characteristics and mechanical behavior. Shale samples from undisturbed block samples were prepared under controlled conditions. Mechanical test techniques were developed to measure effective-stress/strain properties accurately for shales. The tests require a heavy-duty, triaxial test load frame and other specially designed equipment to obtain precise pore pressure measurements. During the tests, pore pressure, stresses, and strains were monitored accurately by an automatic data-acquisition system. The test techniques described can be used to test shales with different characteristics: soft, hard, brittle, plastic, etc. On the basis of results of several shale tests, high-quality, effective-stress/strain data and failure criteria (shale strength relationships) can be obtained routinely.