ABSTRACT
Acquiring sub-surface geomechanical properties to support the development of oil and gas fields draws on best practices from rock and mining engineering as well as from civil engineering. The determination of these rock mechanical properties through laboratory tests is discussed based on best practices, industry standards as well as commonly used and accepted methods. Geomechanical characterization of the sub-surface has to overcome several challenges including the low sampling density and that representative and undisturbed samples are obtained from the recovered cores, sometimes from depths in excess of 5km. Once the cores are retrieved the laboratory testing techniques must be appropriate for the wide range of lithologies and samples encountered in oil and gas fields, taking into consideration any sample heterogeneity.
The use of rock mechanical properties in different aspects of petroleum engineering design is discussed and the need to upscale laboratory-measured geomechanical properties for well-based analysis and field-wide numerical modeling. The motivation to geomechanically characterize the sub-surface is to minimize risk and uncertainty and to ensure successful field developments.
