Pore pressure monitoring optimizes deepwater wells

摘要

Real-time monitoring calibrated the predrill model and enabled the drilling of a difficult well. Exploration drilling in deep water exposes operators to high risks and significant drilling challenges, especially when they encounter narrow mud weight windows. Pressure-related events can cause serious safety hazards and costly nonproductive time (NPT) due to kicks, overpulls, losses, stuckpipe, or blowouts. The formation fracture gradient fixes the upper limit of the safe mud weight window, while pore pressure establishes the lower limit. In greater water depths, fracture gradients tend to be lower. When pore pressures also are higher, there is little margin for error.