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By
Dr. Khaled El-shreef

PGE 472
Drilling Engineering II

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Well Planning
The objective of well planning is to formulate a
program from many variables for drilling a well
that has the following characteristics:
Safe
Minimum Cost
Usable

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Formation Pressure
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Detection and Prediction of the
Abnormal Formation Pressure
value Before, While, During
Drilling
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Abnormal Pressure
- Definition, Causes -
Normal Pore Pressures
Abnormal Pore Pressure Gradients
Fracture Gradients
Mud Weights
Casing Seat Depths
What Causes Abnormal Pressure?
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Normally Pressured Formation
Fluids Squeezed out
with compaction
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Normal and Abnormal Pore
Pressure
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Pore Pressure vs. Depth
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Knowledge of Pore and Fracture
Pressures Leads to:
More effective well planning
Maximize penetration rates with
balanced drilling
Safer and more economical selection of
casing points
Minimize trouble due to lost circulation
and kicks
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Knowledge of Pore and Fracture
Pressures Leads to:
Better engineered production and test
equipment
Better understanding of local geology
and drilling hazards
More accurate analysis of drilling data
and electric logs
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Projected Formation Pressures and
Fracture Gradients
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Some Causes of Abnormal Pressure
1. Incomplete compaction of sediments
Fluids in sediments have not escaped and
are still helping to support the overburden.
2. Tectonic movements
Uplift
Faulting
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Some Causes of Abnormal Pressure
3. Aquifers in Mountainous Regions
Aquifer recharge is at higher elevation
than drilling rig location.
4. Charged shallow reservoirs due to
nearby underground blowout.
5. Large structures...
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Abnormal Pressure
Abnormal Formations do not have the freedom
of pressure communications. If they did, the
high pressures would rapidly dissipate revert to
normal pressure.
Assuming that a pressure seal is present, the
causes or origin of pressure depend on some
items as lithology, minerology, tectonic action,
and rate of sedimentation
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1- Compaction of sediments.
Abnormal pore pressure are generated under
compacted region because the shale matrix cant
support the overburden stress
P = 0.465 psi/ft * Db + 1.0 psi/ft *(Dt-Db)
Seal barrier
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Under-compaction
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Differential Density in Dipping
Formations
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Density Differences
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Fluid Migration
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Artesian System
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Tectonic Movement - Uplifting
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Tectonic Movement - Faulting
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Faults
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Aquifers
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Salt Formations
D
e
p
t
h
Pressure Gradient
Pore press. gradient
Overburden gradient
Salt formation
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Salt Beds
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Salt Domes
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Indications of Abnormal Pore
Pressures
Methods:
1. Seismic data
2. Drilling rate
3. Sloughing shale
4. Gas units in mud
5. Shale density
6. Chloride content
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Indications of Abnormal Pore
Pressures
Methods:
7. Change in Mud properties
8. Temperature of Mud Returns
9. Bentonite content in shale
10. Wire-line logs
11. MWD-LWD
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Shale Properties used to Predict
Pore Pressures
Shales are used because:
Most pressure transition zones occur in
relatively thick shales
Properties of clean shales are fairly
homogeneous at any depth, and can be
predicted with some degree of accuracy.
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Shale Properties used to Predict
Pore Pressures
Shales are used because:
A deviation from the expected can be
interpreted as a change in pressure
gradient
Detecting these deviations in low
permeability shales gives an early warning
prior to drilling into pressured permeable
formations, thus avoiding kicks.
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Normally Pressured Shales
Porosity Decreases with depth
Density Increases with depth
Conductivity Decreases with depth
Resistivity Increases with depth
Sonic travel time Decreases with depth
Temp. gradient Relatively constant
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Abnormally Pressured Shales
Porosity Higher than expected
Density Lower than expected
Conductivity Higher than expected
Resistivity Lower than expected
Sonic travel time Higher than expected
Temp gradient Increases
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Porosity Density Conductivity
Sonic
Shale Density
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Temperature gradient - Increases
D
e
pt
h
Temperature
Normal Trend
Top of Geo-pressure
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Prediction and Detection of Abnormal
Pressure Zones
1. Before drilling
4Shallow seismic surveys
4Deep seismic surveys
4Comparison with nearby wells
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Prediction and Detection of Abnormal
Pressure Zones
2. While drilling
Drilling rate, gas in mud, etc. etc.
D- Exponent
DC - Exponent
MWD - LWD
Density of shale (cuttings)
Kick - SIDPP can give accurate measurement of
formation pore pressure
Leak-off Test (LOT) - gives accurate measurement of
fracture pressure
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Prediction and Detection of Abnormal
Pressure Zones
3. After drilling
Log evaluation
Resistivity log
Conductivity log
Sonic log
Density log
Flow tests
BHP surveys
Shut-in pressure tests
Analysis of mud reports, drilling reports, and bit
records

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Methods of Formation Pressure
Predictions
Seismic Analysis (Exploration method)
Well Logging Analysis
Drilling Data, d-exponent
Kicks

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Methods of Formation Pressure
Predictions
Well Logging Analysis
Shale resistivity method
(Hottman and Johnson Method)
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Hottman and Johnson Method
Semilog paper
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Methods of Formation Pressure
Predictions
Well Logging Analysis
Example 3.2
Overlays

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Methods of Formation Pressure
Predictions
Well Logging Analysis
Sonic Log method (Hottman and
Johnson Method)
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Hottman and Johnson Method
Semilog paper
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Methods of Formation Pressure
Predictions
Well Logging Analysis
Example 3.5
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D & D
c
-exponent

B
d
W
Log
N
R
Log
d
1000
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60

d
B
=bit diameter
N=rotary speed

R=penetration rate of shale
W=weight on bit
Mud
C
d
d

* 9

Jordan and Shirley

equation
Rehm and McClendon
equation
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During Drilling
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Methods of Formation
Pressure Predictions
Drilling Data, d-exponent
Example 3.6
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Methods of Formation Pressure
Predictions
Formation Kicks
P
f
= 0.052
m
H + SIDPP

Example 3.7