Geomechanics :: New England Research, Inc.

Development and Constraint of Physical Models for Geothermal Reservoirs

The development of effective exploitation strategies requires scientifically sound characterization of geothermal reservoirs. Surface geophysical data are potentially the most powerful and cost effective means of exploration and characterization, providing images of the subsurface structures prior to extensive drilling.

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Geomechanics

Core Measurements

Core to Log Calibration
Well logs provide indirect dynamic measures of rock properties. The application of these derived properties to model mechanical deformation and strength requires laboratory static and dynamic measurements to provide ground truth.

Wellbore Stability and Sanding Potential
Industry standard models for wellbore stability relate rock mechanical properties such as elasticity, creep, and strength to tectonic stresses and pore pressures. Rock properties obtained from laboratory measurements are required to model the potential instability of wellbores during drilling and production due to breakouts, collapse, or sand production.

Physical Properties Scaling
The application of physical properties measurements acquired at different scales requires the careful integration of data. Upscaling of properties such as permeability, resistivity, elasticity, mechanical strength and compaction from core-scale data requires the incorporation of heterogeneities via a physically-based approach.

Stress-Induced Anisotropy
New logging tools are capable of measuring azimuthal variations in physical properties such as resistivity and velocities. These properties are markedly affected by the underlying stress-dependence of rock properties. Interpretation of these new data requires laboratory measurements of petrophysical properties under variable stress conditions.