Wellbore instability problems cause nonproductive time, especially during drilling operations in the shale formations. These problems include stuck pipe, caving, lost circulation, and the tight hole, requiring more time to treat and therefore additional costs. The extensive hole collapse problem is considered one of the main challenges experienced when drilling in the Zubair shale formation. In turn, it is caused by nonproductive time and increasing well drilling expenditure. In this study, geomechanical modeling was used to determine a suitable mud weight window to overpass these problems and improve drilling performance for well development. Three failure criteria, including Mohr–Coulomb, modified Lade, and Mogi–Coulomb, were used to predict a safe mud weight window. The geomechanical model was constructed using offset well log data, including formation micro-imager (FMI) logs, acoustic compressional wave, shear wave, gamma ray, bulk density, sonic porosity, and drilling events. The model was calibrated using image data interpretation, modular formation dynamics tester (MDT), leak-off test (LOT), and formation integrity test (FIT). Furthermore, a comparison between the predicted wellbore instability and the actual wellbore failure was performed to examine the model's accuracy. The results showed that the Mogi–Coulomb failure and modified Lade criterion were the most suitable for the Zubair formation. These criteria were given a good match with field observations. In contrast, the Mohr–Coulomb criterion was improper because it does not match shear failure from the caliper log. In addition, the obtained results showed that the inappropriate mud weight (10.6 ppg) was the main cause behind wellbore instability problems in this formation. The optimum mud weight window should apply in Zubair shale formation ranges from 11.5 to 14 ppg. Moreover, the inclination angle should be less than 25 degrees, and azimuth ranges from 115 to 120 degrees northwest-southeast (NE–SW) can be presented a less risk. The well azimuth of NE–SW direction, parallel to minimum horizontal stress (Shmin), will provide the best stability for drilling the Zubair shale formation. This study's findings can help understand the root causes of wellbore instability in the Zubair shale formation. Thus, the results of this research can be applied as expenditure effectiveness tools when designing for future neighboring directional wells to get high drilling performance by reducing the nonproductive time and well expenses.
The Middle Cenomanian-Early Turonian Mishrif Formation includes important carbonate reservoirs in Iraq and some other surrounding countries due to their high reservoir quality and wide geological extension. The 2D models of this study for facies, effective porosity and water saturation indicate the vertical and lateral heterogeneity of the Mishrif Formation reservoir properties in the Majnoon oil field. Construction of 2D reservoir model of the Mishrif Formation to explain the distribution of facies and petrophysical properties (effective porosity and water saturation) by using RockWorks software. The increase of effective porosity is attributed to the presence of shoal facies.The high water saturation is attributed to the existence of rest
... Show MoreIn the Rumaila oilfields in southern Iraq, the Zubair Formation was deposited in a shallow environment as three main facies, delta plain, backshore, and delta front depositional conditions indicating a transition from delta front and delta plain to a highstand level due to the finning upward mode. The facies of the Zubair clasts show well-sorted quartz arenite sandstone, poorly sorted quartz arenite sandstone, clayey sandstone that has not been properly sorted, sandy shale, and shale lithofacies. The minor lithofacies were identified using well-logging methods (gamma ray, spontaneous potential and sonic logs) and petrography. The Zubair clasts are of transition environment that appears to be transported from freshwater and deposited
... Show MoreTanuma and Zubair formations are known as the most problematic intervals in Zubair Oilfield, and they cause wellbore instability due to possible shale-fluid interaction. It causes a vast loss of time dealing with various downhole problems (e.g., stuck pipe) which leads to an increase in overall well cost for the consequences (e.g., fishing and sidetrack). This paper aims to test shale samples with various laboratory tests for shale evaluation and drilling muds development. Shale's physical properties are described by using a stereomicroscope and the structures are observed with Scanning Electron Microscope. The shale reactivity and behavior are analyzed by using the cation exchange capacity testing and the capillary suction test is
... Show MoreThe regular job of a reservoir engineer is to put a development plan to increase hydrocarbon production as possible and within economic and technical considerations. The development strategy for the giant reservoir is a complex and challenging task through the decision-making analysis process. Due to the limited surface water treatment facility, the reservoir management team focuses on minimizing water cut as low as possible by check the flow of formation and injected water movement through the Mishrif reservoir. In this research, a representative sector was used to make the review of water injection configuration, which is considered an efficient tool to make study in a particular area of the entire field when compared with the ful
... Show Morewell log analysis is used to determine the rock properties like porosity, water saturation, and shale volume. Archie parameters in Archie equation, which sometimes considered constants greatly affect the determination of water saturation, also these parameters may be used to indicate whether the rocks are fractured or not so they should be determined. This research involves well logging analysis for Zubair formation in Luhais field which involves the determination of Archie parameters instead of using them as constant.
The log interpretation proved that the formation is hydrocarbon reservoir, as it could be concluded from Rwa (high values) and water saturation values (low values), the lithology of Zubair from cro
... Show MoreWellbore instability is one of the major issues observed throughout the drilling operation. Various wellbore instability issues may occur during drilling operations, including tight holes, borehole collapse, stuck pipe, and shale caving. Rock failure criteria are important in geomechanical analysis since they predict shear and tensile failures. A suitable failure criterion must match the rock failure, which a caliper log can detect to estimate the optimal mud weight. Lack of data makes certain wells' caliper logs unavailable. This makes it difficult to validate the performance of each failure criterion. This paper proposes an approach for predicting the breakout zones in the Nasiriyah oil field using an artificial neural network. It
... Show MoreThe middle Cenomanian – early Turonian Mishrif Formation, a major carbonate reservoir unit in southern Iraq, was studied using cuttings and core samples and wireline logs (gamma‐ray, density and sonic) from 66 wells at 15 oilfields. Depositional facies ranging from deep marine to tidal flat were recorded. Microfacies interpretations together with wireline log interpretations show that the formation is composed of transgressive and regressive hemicycles. The regressive hemicycles are interpreted to indicate the progradation of rudist lithosomes (highstand systems tract deposits) towards distal basinal locations such as the Kumait, Luhais and Abu Amood oilfield areas. Transgressive hemicycles (transgressive systems tract deposits)
... Show MoreThe study of Shiranish Formation rocks in southern part of Iraq at Ansab area well (KH-6)
were carried out. The formation is tongued with tayarat formation, which bounded from top
and bottom, the upper tongue at thickness 49m. and tongued at depth (476-525m.) the lower
tongue at thickness 4m. tongued at (541-537m.).
The rocks of this formation were divided into three sedimentary microfacies:
1- Dolomitized formininferal Wackestone facies.
2- Dolomitized formininferal Mudstone facies.
3- Dolostone facies.
34 slides were investigated depending on mineralogical, compositional and biological
processes and compared diagenesis which reflect open marine shelf at lower part of formation
(F.Z.2) (S.M.F.8), but at the
The lower Cretaceous sandstones of Zubair and Nahr Umr formations are the main producing reservoirs in Subba oilfield in southern Iraq. Key differences in their petrophysical and depositional attributes exist affecting their reservoir characteristics. The evaluation of well logs and core porosity-permeability data show better reservoir properties in Nahr Formation. The Litho-saturation logs indicate greater thickness of oil-saturated reservoir units for Nahr Unr Formation associated with lower values of shale volume, and higher values of effective porosity. In addition, higher values of permeability for Nahr Umr Formation is suggested by applying porosity-irreducible water saturation cross plot. The reducing reservoir quality of Zub
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