11
Fracture Gradients
S =S PP +
overburden pore matrix
stress
Fracture Gradients
= pressure + stress 1.11- 5
Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress
Depth = 14,000 ft.
Pore Pressure = 9.2 lb/gal equivalent
Calculations:
Overburden stress = 1.00 psi/ft.
Calculations:
3. Matrix stress gradient,
S P psi
S P
or psi/ft
D D D
S P
i.e., 1.000 0.478 psi / ft
D D D
/ D = 0.522 psi/ft
Fracture Gradients 1.11- 7
Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress
Calculations:
= 7,308 psi
1 2P
1. Hubbert & Willis: Fmin 1
3 D
1 P
Fmax 1
2 D
where F = fracture gradient, psi/ft
P
= pore pressure gradient, psi/ft
D
K i P
F
D D
3. Ben Eaton:
S P P
F *
D 1 D
1 psi
Fmin 1 2 *0.735 0.823
3 ft
Fracture Gradients 1.11- 14
Example - Hubbert and Willis
Also,
0.823 psi/ft
Fmin
psi/ft
0.052
lb/gal
1 P 1
Fmax 1 1 0.735
2 D 2
= 0.8675 psi/ft
P K i
2. Matthews & Kelly F
D D
In this case P and D are known, may be
calculated, and K i is determined graphically.
2,915
Di 5,449 ft
0.535
Fracture Gradients 1.11- 19
Example -
Matthews and
Kelly
0.685 * 2,915
F 0.735
11,000
0.9165 psi / ft
0.9165
F 17.63 lb / gal
0.052
Fracture Gradients 1.11- 21
5,449
Depth, Di
0.685
Ben Eaton:
S P P
F *
D 1 D
S
? ?
D
Fracture Gradients 1.11- 23
Variable Overburden Stress by
Eaton
At 11,000 ft
S/D = 0.96 psi/ft
At 11,000 ft
= 0.46
0.46
F 0.96 0.735 0.735
1 0.46
F = 0.9267 psi/ft
= 17.82 lb/gal
Fracture Gradients 1.11- 26
Summary of Results
Fracture Gradient
psi.ft lb/gal
Hubbert & Willis minimum: 0.823 15.83
Hubbert & Willis maximum: 0.868 16.68
Mathews & Kelly: 0.917 17.63
Ben Eaton: 0.927 17.82
Ben Eaton:
S P P
F *
D 1 D
Ki P
F
D D