An approach to constrain maximum horizontal stress magnitude using wellbore Failure observations from image logs

Abstract

The magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress is generally the most challenging term in estimating the full stress tensor. In this paper, an approach to constrain the magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress using the frictional limits to stress and wellbore failure observations (drilling-induced tensile fractures DITFs and/or breakouts BOs) from image logs is presented. This approach is applied to constrain the magnitude of the maximum horizontal stress at some interest depths (3900 m, 4100 m, 4300 m and 4500 m) of the basement reservoirs at the White Tiger field, Cuu Long basin, Vietnam from the program STRESS POLYGON. The occurrence of DITFs and/or BOs proved to be useful in estimating stresses around the wellbore, especially the maximum horizontal stress magnitude.