Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Landmark Graphics Corporation

Mehdi Eftekhari Far

John Andrew Quirein

Natasa Mekic

Systems and methods for determining mechanical properties of anisotropic media are disclosed. A method for determining mechanical properties of an anisotropic media includes obtaining log data of the anisotropic media, the log data corresponding to measurements of the anisotropic media collected with a logging tool; determining values for a plurality of first stiffness components of a stiffness matrix based on horizontal and vertical velocities derived from the log data; determining an upper bound for a second stiffness component of the stiffness matrix based on the values for the plurality of first stiffness components; estimating a value for the second stiffness component based on the determined upper bound; determining a mechanical property of the anisotropic media based on the estimated value of the second stiffness component; and providing the determined mechanical property.

Estimation of mechanical properties of transversely isotropic media

In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a geomechanical model of the stresses on an orthorhombic media for use during a subterranean operation is disclosed. The method includes retrieving a stiffness coefficient matrix for a formation to be fractured and generating a geomechanical model of the formation based on a set of natural fractures and an anisotropic behavior of the formation. The method additionally includes calculating a mechanical property of the formation based on the model and the stiffness coefficient matrix. The method further includes fracturing the formation with a fracturing fluid, a pressure of the fracturing fluid based on the mechanical property.

Geomechanical model of stresses on an orthorhombic media

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a simplified geomechanical model that considers the anisotropic (e.g., directional) properties of a formation and the presence of natural fractures in the formation is provided. A system and method may be designed according to the present disclosure to create a simplified geomechanical model of a horizontally laminated formation that includes pre-existing natural fractures. The simplified geomechanical model can be used to calculate the fracture closure pressure of the formation and to design a fracturing operation for injecting fracture fluid into the formation, thus improving the efficiency of a subterranean operation. The disclosed model may provide a more realistic model for fractured shales than an isotropic or vertically transverse isotropic (VTI) model. In addition, the disclosed model may be simpler to implement than a full orthorhombic model.

Simplified geomechanical model of stresses on an orthorhombic media

Disclosed herein are embodiments of systems, methods, and computer program products for determining fracture and stress characterization using layer thickness variation over an azimuthally anisotropic medium, which may include one or more of the following functions: acquiring seismic data by recording reflected seismic waves in at least two directions; sorting of the seismic data so that offset is zero at a center and increases radially from a single common-point (CMP) gather for a plurality of data points; generating a multi-dimensional volume by juxtaposing a set of common-offset sections by one of their common-depth point (CDP) and CMP locations; selecting reflectors for each layer in the one of the multi-dimensional volume; computing layer parameters including effective anisotropy and interval anisotropy for each layer in the multi-dimensional volume based on a geometry of the reflectors selected for each layer in the multi-dimensional volume; and applying the layer parameters to an earth model.

Fracture and stress characterization using layer thickness variation

Systems and methods for simultaneously correcting the effects of deviation and dispersion on sonic log measurements of deviated wells in laminated formations and validating the corrected sonic log measurements using rock physics cross-plots.

Correcting the effects of deviation and dispersion on sonic log measurements of deviated wells in laminated formations

Systems and methods for identifying formation layer boundaries on well log measurements using a second derivative of the last iteratively smoothed well log measurements and a fluctuation index to determine the extent of smoothing.

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Humble, TX, United States of America

Mehdi Eftekhari Far