Novel finite-element approach applied to borehole quadrupole dispersion analysis in stress-sensitive formations

Ole Jørgensen, Dan Burns

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftArtikelForskningpeer review

12 Citationer (Scopus)

Resumé

Near a borehole, stress concentration effects may cause a complex spatial variation of elastic anisotropy. Stress-induced sonic anisotropy results when moduli and velocities are stress dependent and the state of stress is nonhydrostatic. For such cases, the appropriate material model is that of an elastic orthorhombic medium with material axes aligned with the principal axes of stress. We simulate the dispersion characteristics of quadrupole waves propagating along a borehole in a stress-sensitive formation. To include sensitivity to stress in the analysis, we derive a finite-element modeling approach which includes the stress-velocity relationship, the perturbed stress and velocity field near the borehole, and solutions to the full coupled anisotropic and 3D wave equation. We characterized the anisotropy around the borehole for different in situ stress conditions, and we derived the effects on quadrupole dispersion characteristics. Of particular interest was the phase velocity of the quadrupole wave, which at low frequencies provides an estimate of formation shear-wave velocity. Results indicated that the quadrupole mode dispersion was relatively insensitive to the hoop stress effects around a borehole giving greater confidence to shear-wave estimates made from these modes. The proposed ring-element formulation, which includes Fourier expansions of the field variables in the direction of the circumference, is well suited to this analysis and can be adapted to include other effects, such as a finite-length borehole.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
Sider (fra-til)D499-D509
Antal sider11
TidsskriftGeophysics
Vol/bind78
Udgave nummer6
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2013
Udgivet eksterntJa

Programområde

  • Programområde 3: Energiressourcer

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