Advanced geomechanical modeling helps mitigate borehole challenges in Shenzi field wells. A combination of high overpressures and weak rocks can quickly narrow the range of available mud weights for operators drilling in the challenging environment of the Gulf of Mexico. Basic geomechanical modeling can assist in mitigating these challenges by helping explain the pressures at which boreholes fail and/or fractures propagate from the well bore. But occasionally the basic models come up short when determining operating mud weight ranges.
展开▼
