Method For Predicting Well Reliability By Computer Simulation

摘要

Methods of predicting earth stresses in response to pore pressure changes in a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir within a geomechanical system, include establishing physical boundaries for the geomechanical system and acquiring reservoir characteristics. Geomechanical simulations simulate the effects of changes in reservoir characteristics on stress in rock formations within the physical boundaries to determine the rock formation strength at selected nodes in the reservoir. The strength of the rock formations at the nodes is represented by an effective strain (ε_eff), which includes a compaction strain (ε_c) and out-of-plane shear strains (γ1-3, Y2-3) at a nodal point. The methods further include determining an effective strain criteria (ε_eff^cr) from a history of well failures in the physical boundaries. The effective strain (ε_eff^cr) at a selected nodal point is compared with the effective strain criteria (ε_eff^cr) to determine if the effective strain (ε_eff) exceeds the effective strain criteria (ε_eff^cr).