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P1: Formation Pressure Evaluation

Transparent_Geolsoc_course_accredited

2024 Programme

3 Days | £2150+VAT per attendee

Course Aims

To familiarize delegates with the challenges of planning and drilling wells in a safe operating window to minimise Health and Safety Incidents and Non-Productive Time.

 

To provide practical instruction in pore pressure and fracture pressure prediction to produce PPFG plots.

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Target Audience​

Wellsite Geologists, Operations Geologists, Reservoir and Development Geologists, Drilling Engineers, Mudloggers, LWD Engineers, Directional Drillers, Support Staff.

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Delegates Will Learn:

  • How to calculate and plot normal hydrostatic pore pressure and overburden pressure

  • About the mechanisms that generate abnormal pore pressures

  • How to calculate fracture pressure from LOT data and mathematical models

  • How to produce PPFG plots from offset well data

Course Outline

Introduction
  • Well Planning Requirements

  • Safe Operating Window (PP-FG)

  • Pore Pressure prediction and detection

  • Wellbore Stability

  • Fracture Pressure

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Pressure Concepts and Gradients
  • Definitions and Normal Pore Pressure

  • Overburden Pressure Calculations

  • Pressure Gradient Calculations

  • Fracture Pressure Estimations & Modelling

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Abnormal Pressure
  • Causes of Abnormal Pore Pressure

  • Pore Pressure Estimates from:
    Dxc, ROP, Mud-Gas relationships

  • Petrophysics

  • Borehole Stability

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Origin of Abnormal Pore Pressure
  • Compaction Disequilibrium

  • Aquathermal Processes

  • Clay Diagenesis

  • Stratigraphic Processes

  • Tectonic Processes

  • Fluid Expansion

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Fracture Pressure & Well Planning
  • Evaluation of Rock Fracture Pressure:

  • Leak-Off Tests

  • Mathematical Modelling

  • Borehole Stability

  • Kick Tolerance

  • Well Control Procedures

  • Well Planning Issues

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HP/HT Drilling: Definitions & Challenges
  • Definitions of HPHT

  • High Fluid Density

  • High Formation Temperature

  • Narrow Operating Windows

  • Managed Pressure Drilling

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Formation Pressure Evaluation
  • Fundamentals

  • Hydrostatic Pressures

  • Pressure Gradients

  • Elevations and Datums

  • Formation Balance Gradient

  • RFT data and PZ plots

  • Overburden Pressure Gradient

  • Data Sources

  • Calculation methods

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Practical Formation Pore Pressure Evaluation
  • Seismic Data

  • ROP and Dxc

  • Formation Gas Evaluation

  • Borehole Behaviour

  • Drilling Parameters

  • Drill Cuttings and Cavings

  • Geothermal Gradients

  • Wireline/MWD Data

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Health, Safety, Security, Environment
  • Requirements and Well Planning

  • Recent Incidents

  • Operator Responsibilities

  • Individuals’ Responsibility

  • General Duty

Pore Pressure Methods
  • Trend Line Methods

  • Ratio

  • Eaton

  • Equivalent Depth

  • Unloading (Bowers)

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Fracture Pressure Gradients
  • Leak-off Tests

  • Mathematical Modelling

  • High Angle well

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Kick Tolerance​

Course Leaders

Martin B. Saunders

Martin B. Saunders

Training Manager

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