Transient Stresses and Displacement Around a Wellbore Due to Fluid Flow in Transversely Isotropic, Porous Media: II. Finite Reservoirs

Abstract

Abstract In Part 1 of this work,1 equations of elasticity were formulated for transversely isotropic, axisymmetric, homogeneous, porous media exhibiting pore fluid pressure. Equations of elasticity and the thermal analogy method were used to determine transient horizontal, tangential, and vertical stresses and radial displacement in a semi-infinite cylindrical region when either a constant rate of pressure or a constant rate of flow is maintained at the wellbore. In this paper, the approach presented earlier is extended to finite reservoirs for the cases ofsteady-state flow,constant pressures at the well bore and outer boundary andconstant pressure at the wellbore and no flow at the outer boundary. Results of this work show that radial and tangential stress gradients are high near the wellbore but diminish rapidly away from the well; the vertical stress gradient behaves in the same way but is less severe. Radial stresses are compressive or neutral, whereas tangential and vertical stresses may be tensile, neutral or compressive, depending upon the boundary conditions, the physical properties of the system and the radial distance involved (vertical stresses are always compressive in an unbounded system1). For constant boundary pressures, both radial and tangential stresses increase with time whereas they both decrease for a closed outer boundary and constant pressure at the wellbore. The vertical stress decreases with time for both systems. For steady-state systems, radial displacement may be positive or negative, depending upon the dimensions of the system, the pressure differential and the porosity. Radial displacement may be positive or negative for a closed outer boundary but is positive for constant pressures at both boundaries. INTRODUCTION The importance, utility and complexity of a realistic appraisal of the stress state at and local to a wellbore were indicated in Part 1. In this paper the analytical approach presented earlier is extended to finite, cylindrical reservoir geometry for the cases ofsteady-state flow,constant pressures at wellbore and outer boundary andconstant pressure at the wellbore and no flow at the outer boundary. Other than the outer boundary of the reservoir being finite, the physical system and assumptions pertinent thereto are the same as before. The reader may wish to review the mathematical development through Eq. 49 of Part 1 before proceeding here.