GEOMECHANICAL MODELING OF RESERVOIRS: APPLICATIONS TO WELLBORE STABILITY, SAND PREDICTION, AND OPTIMIZED DRILLING

This study discusses how the use of the geomechanical advanced modeling can be used to optimize the reservoir management and drilling process. The study combines geological information, rock characteristics and in-situ stress fields to form a powerful model of predicting underground behavior. The key issues, which the model is specifically applied to, are: forecasting wellbore instability to implement safer casing and drilling fluid programs, predicting the risk of sand production to implement effective strategies of completion and optimization of the drilling parameters to increase the efficiency and minimize non-productive time. The results show that the geomechanical method of addressing operational risks, integrity of wellbores, and the maximization of hydrocarbon recovery is incomplete without a thorough geomechanical approach. This modeling is an essential instrument in cost reduction and the improvement of safety during the lifecycle of a field.