Research on Pore Pressure Detection While Drilling Based on Mechanical Specific Energy

Abstract

The detection of the formation of pore pressure while drilling is of great importance to ensure safe drilling operations. At present, the dc-exponent concept is mainly used to detect pore pressure while drilling. The dc-exponent concept is based on the theory of shale compaction, which is limited when used in carbonate rocks. A mechanical specific energy (MSE)-based method is proposed to detect pore pressure in deep, complex intervals. The method is based on the theory that the energy consumed by the bit to break and remove a unit volume of rock can reflect the effective stress and pore pressure of the rock in situ. In this paper, a torque and weight on bit (WOB) transfer model is proposed for estimating the downhole torque and WOB using drill string mechanics. Meanwhile, the rotary speed and torque of the positive displacement motors under compound drilling are considered, and the model of total MSE under compound drilling is modified. The MSE-based method was used to estimate the pore pressure in a region in western Sichuan, and there is a good agreement between the detected and measured pore pressure. The results demonstrate that the accurate computed MSE-based method is useful in detecting pore pressure in deep complex intervals.