In-Situ Stresses in Colorado Group, AB, Calculated from Open-Hole Mini-Fracs and FMI Logs

Abstract

Open-hole mini-frac tests are seldom performed in the Athabasca and Cold Lake oil sands due to the complexity of operations. In this paper we present the results of open-hole injections tests performed in Cold Lake, Alberta (AB), Canada. The objective of the injection tests was to assess the in-situ stress condition in the Cretaceous Colorado Group. The injection tests results combined with the run of formation image logs (FMI) before and after the injection have enabled not only the determination of the in-situ minimum stress in the rock, but also the full 3-D stress tensor, along with the orientation and inclination of the hydraulic fracture. The tests were performed in IOL 102/08-02-066-03W4 (N10 Passive Seimic Well, ‘PSW’). The injection tests have revealed that the vertical stress in the area is the in-situ minimum stress, consistent with previous measurements. The hydraulically-induced fracture has sub-horizontal to moderate dip angle, mostly owing to the pre-existing fabric of the rock, and peaks in the general NE-SW direction. Numerical modeling of the in-situ stresses has shown that the values of the vertical and the minimum horizontal stresses are close, with the vertical stress consistently being smaller than the minimum horizontal stress in all tested zones.