Study of a rock burst tendency identification method in deep and ultra-deep hard/brittle formations

Abstract:

During the drilling of deep wells and ultra-deep wells in Sichuan and Xinjiang, hard and brittle formations are prone    
to continuous crumbling and falling blocks, resulting in frequent drill jams. Based on the traditional well destabilization theory,  
these complex problems were mainly tackled by gradually increasing the drilling fluid density in the field, but the results were    
not satisfactory. Some key oil and gas wells with a depth of more than 7,000 m, after increasing the drilling fluid density, the    
well wall crumbling and falling blocks not only did not slow down, but instantly collapsed burying the drilling tools. Many wells    
can only be drilled sideways, and there are even some boreholes scrapped. Due to the lack of theoretical support, the problem of    
crumbling and falling blocks in hard and brittle formations has been unable to be effectively prevented and controlled, and has    
become one of the key drilling problems that restrict the drilling of deep and ultra-deep wells. Based on the similarity between    
the phenomenon of crumbling and falling blocks in hard and brittle formations and rock burst in tunneling and other projects, this    
paper focuses on the hard and brittle formations such as limestone, dolomite, and shale, where well wall crumbling and falling    
blocks are more frequent. In this paper, rock mechanics experiments such as rock compression and tensile strength are carried out    
systematically. Through the comparative analysis of the shape of falling blocks during the drilling process and the rock failure    
shape in rock mechanics experiments, the related phenomena are explained by the rock burst theory, and the rock burst behavior    
is classified. Based on rock burst theory, rock burst is divided into three categories: weak, medium, and strong. And a compre  
hensive analysis was conducted using the strength brittleness index   R   and the elastic energy index   W   . The calculation models of    
the strength brittleness index   R   and the elastic energy index   W   based on uniaxial compressive rock strength are established, and    
the interval values of   R   and   W   for rock burst identification are also determined. A set of comprehensive identification methods for    
rock burst tendency and classification of surrounding rocks in hard and brittle formations during the drilling of deep wells is pro  
posed. This paper shows that the order of rock burst propensity of the three studied lithologies is: dolomite > limestone > shale,    
which is consistent with the severity and phenomenon of crumbling blocks in the well wall, verifying the reasonableness of this    
paper on rock burst propensity of hard and brittle formations and the graded comprehensive discrimination method, providing a    
solid background for the study of theoretical methods of well wall instability prevention and control based on the classification of    
hard and brittle formations.  


Key words:deep and ultra-deep wells; hard/brittle formations; rock burst; characterization index; classification

Received: 2020-12-11

Corresponding Authors: chenjh.sripe@sinopec.com

Cite this article:于海洋, 陈军海, 李丹丹, 易浩, 曾义金, 李鑫. 深层超深层硬脆性地层岩爆倾向性判别方法研究. 石油科学通报, 2021, 03: 441-450 YU Haiyang, CHEN Junhai, LI Dandan, YI Hao, ZENG Yijin, LI Xin. Study of a rock burst tendency identification method in deep and ultra-deep hard/brittle formations. Petroleum Science Bulletin, 2021, 03: 441-450. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2096-1693.2021.03.035

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