Abstract
Abstract The removal of rock during the drilling operation disturbs the natural rock formation that is being subjected to a state of compressive in situ stresses at depth. The redistribution of the stresses around the hole thus produces stress concentrations at or near the borehole wall. Having no effective control to counter the high stress buildup around the wellbore may lead to a number of hole problems that include stuck pipe, borehole collapse, sloughing shale, and excessive fill. Using the theory of elasticity in rock mechanics, a numerical model has been designed to practically evaluate the stability of hole conditions both before and during drilling operations. This paper addresses the control of mechanical instability due to stressed conditions other than the interaction of mud chemistry on the rock formations. Case analyses are presented for offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. The results have shown that the rock mechanics modeling of borehole stresses can help achieve the successful drilling of high-angle holes using optimum mud weights determined in advance for controlling hole stability.
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