A formation pressure prediction method based on tectonic overpressure
Shen Bo1,2, Zhang Chao-Mo3, Mao Zhi-Qiang1,2, and Xiao Cheng-Wen4
1. College of Geophysics and Information Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China.
2. Key Laboratory of Earth Prospecting and Information Technology, Beijing 102249, China.
3. Key Laboratory of Exploration Technologies for Oil and Gas Resources, Ministry of Education, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023, Hubei, China.
4. Tarim Petroleum Exploration & Development Company, Korla 841000, Xinjiang, China.
Abstract Traditional formation pressure prediction methods all are based on the formation undercompaction mechanism and the prediction results are obviously low when predicting abnormally high pressure caused by compressional structure overpressure. To eliminate this problem, we propose a new formation pressure prediction method considering compressional structure overpressure as the dominant factor causing abnormally high pressure. First, we establish a model for predicting maximum principal stress, this virtual maximum principal stress is calculated by a double stress field analysis. Then we predict the formation pressure by fitting the maximum principal stress with formation pressure. The real maximum principal stress can be determined by caculating the sum of the virtual maximum principal stresses. Practical application to real data from the A1 and A2 wells in the A gas field shows that this new method has higher accuracy than the traditional equivalent depth method.
This work was sponsored by a grant from the National Key Technologies R & D Program of China during the 9th Five-Year Plan Period (Grant No.9911010102).
Cite this article:
SHEN Bo,ZHANG Chao-Mo,MAO Zhi-Qiang et al. A formation pressure prediction method based on tectonic overpressure[J]. APPLIED GEOPHYSICS, 2010, 7(4): 376-383.
[1]
Anderson, R. A., Ingran, D. S., and Zanier, A. M., 1972, Pressure gradients from well logs: SPE of AIME Annual Meeting, 1259 - 1268.
[2]
Athy, L. F., 1930, Density, porosity and compaction of sedimentary rocks: Amer. Assoc. Pet. Geol. Bull., 14(1), 1 - 24.
[3]
Deng, J. G., Huang, R. Z., and Tian X. S., 1997, A new method for measuring in situ stress in deep formation: Journal of The University of Petroleum, China, 21(1), 32 - 35.
[4]
Eaton, B. A., 1975, The equation for geopressure prediction from well logs: paper SPE 5544 of 50th Annual Fall Meeting of the SPE-AIME, Dallas, USA.
[5]
Hottman, C. E., and Jonson, R. K., 1965, Estimation of formation pressures from log derived shale properties: Pet. Tech., 17, 712 - 723.
[6]
Jaeger, J. C., and Cook, N. G., 1979, Fundamentals of rock mechanics: Chapman and Hall, 593.
[7]
Luo, X., 2004, Quantitative analysis on overpressuring mechanism resulted from tectonic stress: Chinese Journal of Geophysics, 47(6), 1086 - 1093.
[8]
Lubanzadio, M., Goulty, N. R., and Swarbrick, R. E., 2006, Dependence of sonic velocity on effective stress in Mesozoic mudstones: Marine and Petroleum Geology, 23, 647 - 653.
[9]
Nygaard, R., and Karimi, M., 2008, Pore-pressure prediction in overconsolidated shales: SPE 116619, SPE Eastern Regional/AAPG Eastern Section Joint Meeting, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
[10]
Pan, K., 2004, Formation pressures prediction technology and its application to prospecting area of Myanmar: Natural Gas Exploration and Development, 4, 28 - 31.
[11]
Phillips, D., Han, D. H., and Zoback M. D., 1989, Empirical relationships among seismic velocity, effective pressure, porosity, and clay content in sandstone: Geophysics, 54(1), 82 - 89.
[12]
Shao, X. J., 2000, A discussion about the methods for predicting pore pressure: Petroleum Exploration and Development, 27(3), 100 - 102.
[13]
Terzaghi, K., and Peck, R. B., 1948, Soil mechanics in engineering practice: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., N. Y., 565 - 566.
[14]
Tingaya, M., and Hillis, R., 2003, Variation in vertical stress in the Baram Basin, Brunei: teconic and geomechanical implications: Marine and Petroleum Geology,20, 1201 - 1212.
[15]
Yan, P., 2007, The earth stress calculation using well logging data and its applied research in piedmont structure: University of Petroleum, M.E. Thesis, Beijing.
[16]
Yassir, N. A., Bell, J. S., and Wei, X. Y., 1999, The relationship of high fluid pressure with porosity and stress field in the sedimentary: Natural Gas Exploraiton and Development, 22(6), 26 - 33.
2010, Vol. 7 
