Browsing by Author "Sen, Souvik"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8

Assessment of borehole breakouts from acoustic image log and its geomechanical implications - A case study from Triassic-Ordovician interval of Berkaoui field, southeastern Algeria
(Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 2024) Baouche, Rafik; Sen, Souvik
In this study, we interpret a cumulative 600 m acoustic image log across the Triassic to Cambro-Ordovician interval in the Berkaoui oil field, Algeria. We interpret 40 distinct breakout zones that have a combined length of 210 m. These breakouts are aligned in the north-northeast-south-southwest direction, indicating a mean maximum horizontal stress (SHmax) azimuth of 110°N. The observed breakouts are ranked as "A-Quality"following the World Stress Map ranking guidelines. The angular width of each breakout has been inferred from the image log analysis and the same has been used to infer the SHmax gradient by stress polygon approach following the frictional faulting mechanism. The stress polygon across all the breakout intervals provides a practical Shmax range between 24.7 MPa/km and 31.1 MPa/km, with an average gradient of approximately 27 MPa/km. Considering the Shmin range across the studied intervals, we infer a SHmax/Shmin ratio dominantly between 1.40 and 1.65, which is a much narrower and better-constrained range when compared with the previously published ranges from nearby fields with the same stratigraphy. The relative magnitudes of the in situ stresses indicate a strike-slip faulting regime in the Berkaoui Field. This study presents the utility of image log analysis and the integration of breakout interpretation to obtain a more robust geomechanical model with reduced SHmax uncertainty.
Constraining maximum horizontal stress using wellbore breakouts A case study from the Ordovician tight reservoir of the northeastern Oued Mya Basin, Algeria
(Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 2024) Baouche, Rafik; Sen, Souvik; Ganguli, Shib Sankar; Benmamar, Salim; Kumar, Prakash
In this study, we interpret the maximum horizontal stress (SHmax) azimuth from the breakout positions of the wellbore and attempt to constrain the SHmax gradient based on the interpreted breakout width. A cumulative of 110 m of breakouts are deciphered within the Ordovician Hamra Quartzite interval of the Oued Mya Basin from a 138 m acoustic image log. These breakouts are ranked as A-Quality following the World Stress Map ranking guidelines. We infer a mean SHmax orientation of N28 E ± 8. Following the frictional faulting mechanism and stress polygon approach, measurement of the minimum horizontal stress (Shmin) from minifrac tests and observations of the compressive failures from the acoustic image log provide strong constraints on the SHmax magnitude in the reservoir interval in the absence of core-measured rock strength. Interpreted breakout widths exhibit a range between 32.6 and 90.81, which indicates a SHmax range of 24.4-34.7 MPa/km. The average breakout width of 62.58 translates to a narrower SHmax gradient range, varying between 27.2 and 31.2 MPa/km. The relative magnitudes of the principal stresses indicate a strong strike-slip tectonic stress state. Considering all the uncertainties, we infer a SHmax/Shmin ratio of 1.41-1.81 within the Ordovician interval.
Estimation of horizontal stresses from wellbore failures in strike-slip tectonic regime: A case study from the Ordovician reservoir of the Tinzaouatine field, Illizi Basin, Algeria
(Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 2022) Baouche, Rafik; Sen, Souvik; Hadj Arab, Feriel; Ahmed, Radwan
We present a geomechanical analysis of the Ordovician reservoir from the Tinzaouatine field situated in the prolific Illizi Basin, eastern Algeria. The sandstone reservoir has a hydrostatic pore pressure gra- dient (9.95 MPa/km). We analyzed a cumulative of 300 m of acoustic image log data and identified the coexistence of B-quality extensive drilling-induced tensile failures (DITFs) and compressive failures, i.e., breakouts (BOs), indicating a mean maximum horizontal stress (SHMax) orientation of N140°E. We used a combined BO and DITF-based solution to estimate horizontal stress magnitudes when the two failure types coexist. Based on the C-quality minifrac measurements, we interpreted the minimum horizontal stress (Shmin) gradient as 17.4–17.47 MPa/km, whereas the new approach indicates an Shmin range of 17.31–18.67 MPa/km. Using the BO width and DITF-based approaches, we inferred an SHMax gradient range of 28.37–38.59 MPa/km within the studied reservoir. Based on the relative stress magnitudes, we infer a strike-slip tectonic stress regime in the studied field.
Geomechanical modeling to assess the injection-induced fracture slip-potential and subsurface stability of the Cambro-Ordovician reservoirs of Hassi Terfa field, Algeria
(Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Benayad, Soumya; Sen, Souvik; Baouche, Rafik; Mitra, Sourav; Chaouchi, Rabah
The in-situ stress state and the distribution of the critically stressed fractures have significant implications on optimum wellbore placement, production enhancement, fluid injection, and induced seismicity which largely influence the reservoir management strategies. This study presents a comprehensive geomechanical modeling to infer the likelihood of shear slippage of the optimally oriented weak planes in response to water injection in the deep Paleozoic oil reservoirs from the Hassi Terfa field, central Algerian Sahara. The ‘B-quality’ compressive failures, i.e., breakouts from the acoustic image log indicate the maximum horizontal stress azimuth as N114°E. The inferred in-situ stress magnitudes indicate a strike-slip tectonic regime in the study area. The reservoir is generally tight (porosity <8 %, permeability <0.4 mD) due to extensive silica cementation, however pre-existing closed to partially open natural fractures of variable geometries are identified on cores, thin sections, and image logs. The stress-based slip assessment indicates that none of the fracture geometries is critically stressed and hydraulically conductive at the initial reservoir stress state. The onset of slip on the critically oriented vertical fractures can initiate at 1200 psi of fluid injection at the reservoir level of ∼3500 m. The E-W to EES-WWN oriented fractures, parallel to the maximum horizontal stress azimuth, have a higher likelihood of being critically stressed during injection and therefore can contribute to the permeability enhancement. We restrict the practical injection threshold at 3000 psi, which can create tensile failures on the shale caprocks. We infer that the NE-SW and NNE-SSW striking, steeply dipping fractures and regional faults being perpendicular or at high angles to the regional maximum horizontal stress azimuth, are the most stable ones and therefore, less likely to slip within the practical injection limit.
Modeling In-situ tectonic stress state and maximum horizontal stress azimuth in the Central Algerian Sahara – A geomechanical study from El Agreb, El Gassi and Hassi Messaoud fields
(Elsevier, 2021) Baouche, Rafik; Sen, Souvik; Chaouchi, Rabah; Ganguli, Shib Sankar
Central Algerian Sahara hosts many prolific hydrocarbon accumulations in the Paleozoic successions. In this work a contemporary stress field of the Saharan platform has been evaluated using the dataset from recently drilled wells in El Agreb, El Gassi and Hassi Messaoud fields. A pore fluid pressure gradient of 0.56 PSI/feet is interpreted from the in-situ measurements in the Paleozoic reservoir units. Vertical stress (Sv) modeled from the bulk-density data indicates an average of 1.02 PSI/feet gradient. Rock elastic property-based approach is employed to model the magnitudes of minimum (Shmin) and maximum horizontal stress (SHmax) components, which were calibrated with leak off test/minifrac and breakout widths, respectively. Paleozoic stress profiles reveal Shmin/Sv range of 0.74–0.84, while SHmax/Sv varies between 1.1 and 1.33. Subsurface stress distribution indicates that the present-day stress field in the Saharan platform is principally strike-slip faulting (SHmax > Sv > Shmin). A cumulative 1490 m of B-D quality wellbore breakouts, inferred from the acoustic image logs, suggest a NW-SE/WNW-ESE SHmax orientation, which is parallel to the absolute African plate motion and Africa-Eurasia plate convergence direction, implying ridge push force to be the dominant contributor to the tectonic stress field. Mean SHmax orientation shows slightly anticlockwise rotation (126◦N to 144◦N) from south (El Agreb) to north (Hassi Messaoud field). Inferences are discussed regarding the fault slip potential and hydrocarbon reservoir development.
Petrophysical and geomechanical characterization of the Late Cretaceous limestone reservoirs from the Southeastern Constantine Basin, Algeria
(Seg library, 2021) Baouche, Rafik; Sen, Souvik; Shib Sankar, Ganguli; Boutaleb, Khadidja
We have characterized the petrophysical and geomechanical properties of the Late Cretaceous Turonian and Cenomanian carbonate reservoirs from the southeast Constantine Basin, northern Algeria. In general, Turonian carbonates exhibit a wide range of porosities (2%–15%) and permeabilities (0.001–10 mD), whereas the Cen- omanian reservoir appears to be very tight (<6% porosity and <0.1 mD permeability). Based on their storage and hydraulic flow characteristics, these carbonates were classified into two distinct reservoir rock types (RRT): RRT-I is hosted by nano- to microporosities that displays poor reservoir qualities compared to the RRT-II, con- sisting of mesoporous Turonian intervals (>10% porosity and 0.5–10 mD permeability). The reservoir pore-pres- sure gradient is interpreted to be a little above the hydrostatic (0.51 psi/ft), whereas the minimum horizontal stress (Sh) has a 0.72 psi/ft gradient. In situ stress analysis establishes a dominant strike-slip tectonic stress field in the basin. Shale intercalations associated with the carbonate facies are characterized by comparatively high failure pressure that can lead to wellbore failures, which may be avoided considering the recommended mini- mum drilling mud weight as obtained from the rock failure criterion. Extensive wellbore breakouts (C-quality) were observed in the acoustic image logs recorded in the studied reservoir intervals, inferring a mean maximum horizontal stress azimuth of 350°N. We recommend that deviated wells in the direction of the interpreted Sh orientation (approximately east–west) using hydraulic fracturing can be useful to attain optimum wellbore sta- bility and effective permeability enhancement. Our findings have significant implications for enhanced produc- tion within the tight carbonate reservoirs situated in a strike-slip domain.
Petrophysical, geomechanical and depositional environment characterization of the Triassic TAGI reservoir from the Hassi Berkine South field, Berkine Basin, Southeastern Algeria
(Elsevier, 2021) Baouche, Rafik; Sen, Souvik; Ganguli, Shib Sankar; Hadj Arab, Feriel
An integrated knowledge of the sedimentological data, petrophysical and geomechanical characteristics significantly enhances the understanding of the reservoir properties, leading to a reliable subsurface modeling. This work presents a comprehensive reservoir assessment of the prolific Triassic Argilo-Gréseux Inférieur (TAGI) sandstones of the Hassi Berkine South (HBNS) field, Southeastern Algeria. The Lower Triassic producer appears to be laid down on the Late Devonian erosional surface (Hercynian unconformity) in a fluvial depositional system. Based on the sedimentary structures, a fluvial depositional environment is deciphered from cores. Lateral and vertical disposition of the channel and floodplain deposits from regional well log correlation infers a shift of depositional regime from braided in the SW to meandering in the NE direction. Two distinct reservoir rock types (RRT) are interpreted from core-based petrophysical assessment. RRT1 is composed of macro-megaporous medium to very coarse grained amalgamated channel sandstones and yields the best reservoir attributes, while the mesoporous fine grained RRT2 translates to impervious to poor reservoir quality. RRT1 channel sands are found to be laterally continuous, while the fine grained crevasse splay sands corresponding to RRT2 are laterally discontinuous, thus making them difficult to correlate field wide. Rock-mechanical property-based in-situ stress estimates suggested a normal to strike-slip transitional (Sv ≥ SHMax > Shmin) stress state in the TAGI Formation. Direct measurements indicate that the TAGI reservoir had an initial pore pressure gradient of 11.08 MPa/km and is presently depleted by 2.1–2.5 MPa. A stable depletion stress path value of 0.57 is inferred considering a pore pressure-minimum horizontal stress coupling. At the present-day depletion rate, normal faulting is unlikely to have happened at the TAGI reservoir level and it can be depleted by another 25 MPa before inducing any production-induced reservoir instabilities
Pore pressure and in-situ stress magnitudes in the Bhiret Hammou hydrocarbon field, Berkine Basin, Algeria
(Elsevier, 2020) Baouche, Rafik; Sen, Souvik; Ganguli, Shib Sankar
A recently drilled exploratory well encompassing over 5 km of Mesozoic and Paleozoic sediments has been studied from the Bhiret Hammou field of the Berkine Basin, Algeria. Geophysical logs and downhole measurements have been integrated to ascertain rock strength, elastic properties, pore pressure and principal in-situ stress magnitudes. Vertical stress has an average 1.02 PSI/feet gradient in the studied field, as estimated from the density log. The Devonian shales are mildly over-pressured, while the Triassic and Carboniferous hydrocarbon reservoirs are in a hydrostatic pore pressure regime. Minimum and maximum horizontal stresses are quantified from a poroelastic strain model. The Sh gradient varies between 0.59 and 0.80 PSI/feet, whereas the SH gradient is interpreted as 0.86–1.26 PSI/feet. Based on the relative stress magnitudes (SH≥Sv>Sh), a present-day normal to strike-slip transitional tectonic regime is inferred