ABOUT THIS TRAINING COURSE
Geomechanical evaluations are about the assessment of deformations and failure
in the subsurface due to oil & gas production, geothermal operations, CO2
storage and other operations. All geomechanical evaluations include four types
of modelling assumptions, which will be systematically addressed in this
training, namely:
1. Geometrical modelling assumption: Impact of structural styles on initial
stress and stress redistribution due to operations
2. Formation (or constitutive) behaviour: Linear elastic and non-linear
behaviour, associated models and their parameters, and methods how to constrain
these using
3. Initial stress: Relation with structural setting and methods to quantify
the in-situ stress condition
4. Loading conditions: Changes in pore pressure and temperature on wellbore
and field scale
This 5 full-day course starts with the determination of the stresses in the
earth, the impact of different structural styles, salt bodies, faulting and
folding on the orientation of the three main principal stress components.
Different (field) data sources will be discussed to constrain their magnitude,
while exercises will be made to gain hands-on experience.
Subsequently, the concepts of stress and strain will be discussed, linear
elasticity, total and effective stress and poro-elasticity in 1D, 2D and 3D, as
well as thermal expansion. Participants will be able to construct and interpret
a Mohr-circles. Also, different failure mechanisms and associated models
(plastic, viscous) will be discussed. All these concepts apply on a material
point level.
Next, geomechanics on the wellbore scale is addressed, starting with the stress
distribution around the wellbore (Kirsch equations). The impact of mudweight on
shear and tensile failure (fracturing) will be calculated, and participants will
be able to determine the mudweight window stable drilling operations, while
considering well deviation and the use of oil-based and water-based muds (pore
pressure penetration). Fracturing conditions and fracture propagation will be
addressed.
Field-scale geomechanics is addressed on the fourth day, focussing on building a
3D geomechanical model that is fit-for-purpose (focussing on the risks that need
evaluation). Here, geological interpretation (layering), initial stress and
formation property estimation (from petrophysical logs and lab experiments) as
well as determining the loading conditions come together.
The course is concluded with interpretation of the field-wide geomechanical
response to reservoir depletion with special attention to reservoir compaction &
subsidence, well failure and fault reactivation & induced seismicity. Special
attention is paid to uncertainties and formulating advice that impacts
decision-making during development and production stages of a project.
This course can also be offered through Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT)
format.
Training Objectives
Upon completing of this course, the participants will be able to:
* Identify potential project risks that may need a geomechanical evaluation
* Construct a pressure-depth plot based on available field data (density logs,
(X)LOT, FIT, RFT)
* Employ log-based correlation function to estimate mechanical properties
* Produce a simplified, but appropriate geometrical (layered, upscaled) model
that honours contrasts in initial stress, formation properties and loading
conditions, including
* Construct and interpret a Mohr-circle for shear and tensile failure
* Calculate the mud weight that leads to shear and tensile failure (fracturing
conditions)
* Identify potential lab experiments to measure required formation properties
* Describe the workflow and data to develop a field-wide fit-for-purpose
geomechanical model
* Discuss the qualitative impact of pressure and temperature change on the risk
related to compaction, well failure, top-seal integrity and fault
reactivation
Target Audience
This course is intended for Drilling Engineers, Well Engineers, Production
Technologists, Completion Engineers, Well Superintendents, Directional Drillers,
Wellsite Supervisors and others, who wish to further their understanding of rock
mechanics and its application to drilling and completion.
There is no specific formal pre-requisite for this course. However, the
participants are requested to have been exposed to drilling, completions and
production operations in their positions and to have a recommended minimum of 3
years of field experience.
Course Level
* Intermediate
Trainer
Your expert course leader has over 30 years of experience in the Oil & Gas
industry, covering all geomechanical issues in the petroleum industry for Shell.
Some of his projects included doing research and providing operational advice in
wellbore stability, sand failure prediction, and oil-shale retortion among
others. He guided multi-disciplinary teams in compaction & subsidence, top-seal
integrity, fault reactivation, induced-seismicity and containment. He was also
involved in projects related to Carbon Capture Storage (CCS).
He is the founding father of various innovations and assessment tools, and
developed new insights into the root causes seismicity induced by Oil & Gas
production. Furthermore, he was the regional coordinator for technology
deployment in Africa, and Smart Fields (DOFF, iField) design advisor for Shell
globally. He was responsible for the Geomechanical competence framework, and
associated virtual and classroom training programme in Shell for the last 10
years. He served as one of the Subject Matter Expert (SME) on geomechanics,
provided Technical Assurance to many risk assessments, and is a co-author of
Shell's global minimun standard on top-seal integry and containment. He has a
MSc and PhD in Civil Engineering and computational mechanics from Delft
University of Technology, The Netherlands.
Training experience:
Developed and delivered the following (between 2010 and 2020):
* The competence framework for the global geomechanical discipline in Shell
* Online Geomechanical training programs for petroleum engineers (post-doc
level)
* The global minimum standard for top-seal integrity assessment in Shell
* Over 50 learning nuggets with Subject Matter Experts
* Various Shell virtual Geomechanical training courses covering all subjects
* Developed Advanced Geomechanical training program for experienced staff in
Shell
* Coaching of KPC staff on Geomechanics and containment issues on an internship
at Shell in The Netherlands, Q4 2014
* Lectured at the Utrecht University summer school (The Netherlands, 2020) on
induced seismicity among renowned earthquake experts (Prof. Mark Zoback,
Prof. Jean-Philippe Avouac, Prof. Jean-Pierre Ampuero and Prof. Torsten Dahm)
(https://www.nwo.nl/onderzoeksprogrammas/deepnl/bijeenkomsten/6-10-juli-2020-deepnl-webinar-series-induced-seismicity)
* Lectured at the Danish Technical University summer school (Copenhagen, 2021)
summer school on Carbon Capture and Storage
(https://www.oilgas.dtu.dk/english/Events/DHRTC-Summer-School)
* Virtual Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): Project Risks & How to Manage Them
training course (October and November 2021)
POST TRAINING COACHING SUPPORT (OPTIONAL)
To further optimise your learning experience from our courses, we also offer
individualized 'One to One' coaching support for 2 hours post training. We can
help improve your competence in your chosen area of interest, based on your
learning needs and available hours. This is a great opportunity to improve your
capability and confidence in a particular area of expertise. It will be
delivered over a secure video conference call by one of our senior trainers.
They will work with you to create a tailor-made coaching program that will help
you achieve your goals faster. Request for further information post training
support and fees applicable
Accreditions And Affliations