Chapter Seven: Estimating SHmax from

Wellbore Failures in Vertical Wells

Topics
• Hydraulic Fracturing Stress Measurements
• Breakout Width
• Tensile Fractures and Strike-Slip Faulting
• Estimating Rock Strength
• Breakout Rotations, Active Faulting and Stress
Estimation
 Key Points

1. Precise observations of wellbore failure lead to estimates of SHmax.

2. If you know breakout width and can estimate rock strength, you can estimate
SHmax.

3. If drilling-induced tensile fractures are present, it may indicate a strike-slip

faulting regime (SS/NF < SS < SS/T). If Shmin is known, SHmax can be
accurately constrained. Correct for excess mud pressure and wellbore
cooling as appropriate.

4. If SHmax is determined from drilling-induced tensile fracture, bounds on rock

strength can be established based on the presence, or absence, of breakouts.
Stress Concentration Around a Vertical Well
 Hydraulic Fracturing to Determine Stress
Orientation and Shmin

Hydraulic fractures will form at the point of minimum

compression around the wellbore.
• Therefore, the orientation of a hydraulic fracture around
the wellbore will indicate the direction of maximum
horizontal stress.
Hydraulic fractures will propagate perpendicular to the
least principal stress.
•In order for the fracture to propagate away from the well,
the pressure in the fracture must exceed the least principle
stress (but not by much).
Impression Packers
Figure 7.1 a.b – pg. 209
 Propagation of a Mode I Fracture

Pf

Ki = (Pf – S3)πL1/2 f

When L > 1 m
f
Pf – S3 is negligible
Extended Leak Off Test
(or Mini-Frac)

Figure 7.2 – pg. 211

 Timor Sea Extended Leak-Off Tests

2500 2

Shut-in Shut-in

2000
1.5

1500 Pressure

1000
Shut-in
Shut-in

0.5
500 Flowrate 10 bbls 15 bbls

0 0
0:00 15:00 30:00 45:00 60:00 75:00 90:00 105:00 120:00 135:00

Elapsed Time (min)

Figure 7.3 a – pg. 213

 Shut-In Pressure – S3 ≅ 1940 psi
First Cycle
2050

2000

ISIP
1950

Second Cycle
1900 2050

1850 2000

1800 1950
ISIP

1750 1900

1850
1700
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

1800
time after shut in

1750

1700
0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Figure 7.3 b – pg. 213

Determining Fracture Closure From
Pressure Decline
as a Function of SQRT Time

(after Nolte)
 Fracture Closure Pressure – S3 ≅ 1900 psi

First Cycle
2050

2000

Cycle 2
1950 Cl osure Pressure 2050

1900
2000

1850
1950

1800

1900
1750

1850
1700 Cl osure Pressure
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Sqrt time (min)
1800

1750
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Sqrt time

Figure 7.3 b – pg. 213

Plot of Shmin From Leak-Off Tests
 Hydraulic Fracturing to Determine SHmax

At the point of minimum compression around the wellbore (i.e, at θ = 0,

parallel to SHmax), a hydraulic fracture will be induced when
σθθmin = -To = 3Shmin - SHmax - 2Pp - ΔP - σΔT

Ignoring - σΔT, a tensile fracture will form at the wellbore wall when,
Pb = 3Shmin – SHmax – Pp +To

which is called breakdown pressure. Assuming the Shmin is measured from

the shut-in or closure pressure, and that P0 and T have either been
measured or estimated,
SHmax = 3Shmin – Pb – Pp +To

If a secondary pressurization cycle is used for analysis (a hydraulic

fracture already exists at the wellbore wall), this reduces to
SHmax = 3Shmin – Pb(T = 0) – Pp
Equations 7.1-7.4 – pg. 220
Ideal Open-Hole Hydrofrac for Determining SHmax
 Why Hydraulic Fracturing Should Not be
Used to Determine SHmax in Oil and Gas Wells

• Most wells are cased at the time of hydraulic

fracturing

• During a leak-off test, the open hole section below

the casing is not likely to be well described by the
Kirsch equations

• It is essentially impossible to detect fracture

formation during pressurization (that is, the
breakdown pressure is NOT the fracture initiation
pressure)
 Using Wellbore Failure for SHmax Determination
1. Breakout Width

Well A

UBI Well A FMI Well B

Breakouts Deepen with Successive
Episodes of Failure
Breakouts in Lab
 Wellbore Failure Analysis in a Vertical Well
Wellbore Breakouts
σ θθ = Sh min + SH max − 2(SH max − Shmin )cos2θ b − 2Pp − ΔP − σ ΔT = Ceff

S H max =
(C eff + 2 Pp + ΔP + σ ΔT ) − Sh min (1 + 2 cos 2θb )
, 2θb ≡ π − wbo
1 − 2 cos 2θb
Equation 7.7 – pg. 223

Tensile Cracking
ΔT
To = σ θθ = 3Shmin − SH max − 2Pp − ΔP − σ
min

SH max = 3Sh min − 2Pp − ΔP − To − σ ΔT

To ≈ 0
Equation 7.8 – pg. 228
Fenton Hill Breakouts

Figure 7.8 – pg. 224

Fenton Hill — Stress Magnitudes
Figure 7.10 – pg. 226
(MPa)

wBO

0 50 100 150 MPa

Figure 7.11 – pg. 227

 Estimating SHmax from Wellbore Failure
2. Drilling Induced Tensile Wall Fractures

FMI FMS
 Drilling Induced Tensile Fractures – Visund Field
Be Careful of Pressure Surges

Vertical Fractures Inclined Fractures Wash & Ream Bit Trips

Visund Stress Magnitudes
Stress Magnitudes

Figure 7.13 – pg. 230