GMI•WellCheck™ analysis revealed that by increasing mud weight and using fracture link-up pressure as the upper bound for the mud window, the 13 3/4 inch and 8 5/8 inch casing depths could be extended, thereby eliminating the need for the 11 3/4 inch casing string.

Harness the Power of Geomechanical Modeling

We build comprehensive geomechanical models with proprietary software that characterize your reservoir, as well as the overlying formations, with unsurpassed modeling knowledge, thereby reducing drilling and completion uncertainty over the entire life of your asset. Specific target areas include the potential for wellbore instability during drilling (including under-balanced drilling), completion and production, the optimization of production from fractured reservoirs, and the estimation of fault seal properties.

What data and methods do we use to determine the in-situ stress?

• Observation of wellbore failures from image and caliper logs
• Measurement of wellbore breakout width
• Characterization of wellbore compressive, tensile, and shear failures
• DST, Mini-frac and leak off test data
• Seismic and log-based data

Once the data are assembled, we utilize a constraint-based modeling approach which reveals valuable quantitative limits on critical parameters such as vertical stress, pore pressure, and least principal stress.

Shear and normal stress on natural fractures and bedding planes intersected by one well confirm this reservoir's production history. Wells drilled to the northwest at approximately 70° intersect the greatest number of critically stressed, prodyctive fractures (shown in white) and optimally drain this reservoir.

The result? Less risk, better production and a better bottom line. No matter if you're missing a small piece of the puzzle, or have multiple questions about what lies below, our world-class expertise and technology can help you understand geomechanical issues and focus on the big picture. In fact, entire reservoir-scale models can be built from various available data sources.

Understand the Financial Impact

Problems with wellbore stability alone are estimated to represent 42% of all drilling problems. We can help alleviate them. Collaboration with GMI will help strengthen your ability to solve drilling, completion and production problems. Here's how:

1. Lowering drilling costs by avoiding events such as:
   • Stuck pipe
   • Sidetracks
   • Fishing
   • Excessive reaming
   • Intermediate casing
2. Minimizing overall opportunity cost
3. Getting higher returns on existing data
4. Improving decision-making workflows
5. Raising overall returns over the life of a reservoir

In situ Stress

Observations of compressive, tensile, and shear failures of wellbores provide strong constraints on stress magnitude and orientation as well as upper and lower bounds on rock strength in situ. GMI utilizes a broad spectrum of analytical methods to fully determine in situ stress, pore pressure, and rock strength.

When information from a variety of wells is available in a given area, our MUWL ("MUlti WeLl" module from GMI•SFIB™ software) technology is used to determine the best-fitting stress field to all data.

The fully three-dimensional analysis of in situ stress incorporates thermoelastic, thermoporoelastic, and rock strength anisotropic effects.