Numerical Investigation of the Impacts of Borehole Breakouts on Breakdown Pressure

Hua Zhang, Shunde Yin and Bernt S. Aadnoy
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Hua Zhang: Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
Shunde Yin: Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
Bernt S. Aadnoy: Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger, Norway

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-23

Abstract: Borehole breakouts appear in drilling and production operations when rock subjected to in situ stress experiences shear failure. However, if a borehole breakout occurs, the boundary of the borehole is no longer circular and the stress distribution around it is different. So, the interpretation of the hydraulic fracturing test results based on the Kirsch solution may not be valid. Therefore, it is important to investigate the factors that may affect the correct interpretation of the breakdown pressure in a hydraulic fracturing test for a borehole that had breakouts. In this paper, two steps are taken to implement this investigation. First, sets of finite element modeling provide sets of data on borehole breakout measures. Second, for a given measure of borehole breakouts, according to the linear relation between the mud pressure and the stress on the borehole wall, the breakdown pressure considering the borehole breakouts is acquired by applying different mud pressure in the model. Results show the difference between the breakdown pressure of a circular borehole and that of borehole that had breakouts could be as large as 82% in some situations.

Keywords: borehole breakouts; finite element method; breakdown pressure; in situ stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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