1.

11

Fracture Gradients

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 1

Prediction of Fracture Gradients

Well Planning
Theoretical Fracture Gradient Determination
Hubbert & Willis
Matthews & Kelly
Ben Eaton
Comparison of Results

Experimental Frac. Grad. Determination

Leak-off Tests

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 2

Well Planning
Safe drilling practices require that the
following be considered when
planning a well:
Pore pressure determination
Fracture gradient determination
Casing setting depth selection
Casing design

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 3

Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress

Given: Well depth is 14,000 ft.
Formation pore pressure expressed
in equivalent mud weight is 9.2 lb/gal.
Overburden stress is 1.00 psi/ft.
Calculate:
1. Pore pressure, psi/ft , at 14,000 ft
2. Pore pressure, psi, at 14,000 ft
3. Matrix stress, psi/ft
4. Matrix stress, psi
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 4

Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress

S =S PP +

overburden
stress
Fracture Gradients

pore
= pressure

matrix
stress

1.11- 5

Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress

Calculations:

Depth = 14,000 ft.

Pore Pressure = 9.2 lb/gal equivalent
Overburden stress = 1.00 psi/ft.

1. Pore pressure gradient

= 0.433 psi/ft * 9.2/8.33 = 0.052 * 9.2
= 0.478 psi/ft
2. Pore pressure at 14,000 ft
= 0.478 psi/ft * 14,000 ft
= 6,692 psig
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 6

Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress

Calculations:
3. Matrix stress gradient,

S P
S P
or

D D D
S P
i.e.,

1.000 0.478
D D D

psi
psi/ft
psi / ft

/ D = 0.522 psi/ft
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 7

Formation Pressure and Matrix Stress

Calculations:
4. Matrix stress at 14,000 ft
= 0.522 psi/ft * 14,000 ft

= 7,308 psi
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 8

Fracture Gradient Determination

In order to avoid lost circulation while
drilling it is important to know the variation
of fracture gradient with depth.
Leak-off tests represent an experimental
approach to fracture gradient
determination. Below are listed and
discussed three approaches to calculating
the fracture gradient.
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 9

Fracture Gradient Determination

1. Hubbert & Willis:

where

Fracture Gradients

Fmin

1
2P
1

3
D

Fmax

1
P
1
2
D

F = fracture gradient, psi/ft

P
= pore pressure gradient, psi/ft
D
1.11- 10

Fracture Gradient Determination

2. Matthews & Kelly:

K i
P
F

D
D
where

Ki = matrix stress coefficient

= vertical matrix stress, psi

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 11

Fracture Gradient Determination

3. Ben Eaton:

S P

F
*
D 1
where

S = overburden stress, psi

= Poissons ratio
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 12

Example
A Texas Gulf Coast well has a pore pressure
gradient of 0.735 psi/ft. Well depth = 11,000 ft.
Calculate the fracture gradient in units of
lb/gal using each of the above three
methods.
Summarize the results in tabular form, showing
answers, in units of lb/gal and also in psi/ft.
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 13

Example - Hubbert and Willis

1. Hubbert & Willis:

Fmin

1
2P
1

3
D

P
psi
0.735
The pore pressure gradient,
D
ft

Fmin

1
psi
1 2 *0.735 0.823
3
ft

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 14

Example - Hubbert and Willis

Also,

Fmin

0.823 psi/ft
psi/ft

0.052
lb/gal

Fmin 15.83 lb/gal

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 15

Example - Hubbert and Willis

1
P
1
2
D

Fmax

1
1 0.735
2

= 0.8675 psi/ft
Fmax = 16.68 lb/gal
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 16

Example

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.
(i) First, determine the pore pressure gradient.

P
0.735
D
Fracture Gradients

psi / ft

(given )
1.11- 17

Example - Matthews and Kelly

(ii) Next, calculate the matrix stress.

S=P+
=S-P

= 1.00 * D - 0.735 * D
= 0.265 * D
= 0.265 * 11,000
= 2,915 psi
Fracture Gradients

S overburden, psi
matrix stress, psi

P pore pressure, psi

D depth , ft

1.11- 18

Example - Matthews and Kelly

(iii) Now determine the depth, D i , where,
under normally pressured conditions, the
rock matrix stress, would be 2,915 psi.
Sn = Pn + n

n = normal

1.00 * Di = 0.465 * Di + 2,915

Di * (1 - 0.465) = 2,915

2,915
Di
5,449 ft
0.535
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 19

Example Matthews and

Kelly
(iv) Find Ki from
the plot on the
right, for

Di = 5,449 ft
For a south Texas
Gulf Coast well,

Ki = 0.685

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 20

Example - Matthews and Kelly

(v) Now calculate F:

K i
P
F

D
D

0.685 * 2,915
F
0.735
11,000
0.9165

psi / ft

0.9165
F
17.63
0.052
Fracture Gradients

lb / gal
1.11- 21

Depth, Di

5,449

Fracture Gradients

0.685

Ki

1.11- 22

Example
Ben Eaton:

S P

F
*
D 1
S
?
D
Fracture Gradients

?
1.11- 23

Variable Overburden Stress by

Eaton

At 11,000 ft
S/D = 0.96 psi/ft

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 24

Fig. 5-5

At 11,000 ft
= 0.46

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 25

Example - Ben Eaton

S P
F

D D

From above graphs,

at 11,000 ft.:
S
0.96
D

psi / ft;

P

D

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

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 27

Summary of Results
Note that all the methods take into
consideration the pore pressure gradient.
As the pore pressure increases, so does
the fracture gradient.
In the above equations, Hubbert & Willis
apparently consider only the variation in
pore pressure gradient. Matthews &
Kelly also consider the changes in rock
matrix stress coefficient, and in the
matrix stress ( Ki and i ).
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 28

Summary of Results
Ben Eaton considers
variation in pore pressure gradient,
overburden stress and
Poissons ratio,
and is probably the most accurate of
the three methods. The last two
methods are actually quite similar, and
usually yield similar results.
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 29

Similarities
Ben Eaton:

S P

F
*
D 1

Ki
P
F

D
D
Matthews and Kelly:
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 30

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 31

Experimental Determination of
Fracture Gradient
The leak-off test
Run and cement casing
Drill out ~ 10 ft
below the casing seat
Close the BOPs
Pump slowly and
monitor the pressure
Fracture Gradients

1.11- 32

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 33

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 34

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 35

Fracture Gradients

1.11- 36