Mohammadreza Shahbazi , Mehdi Najafi , Mohammad Fatehi Marji , Ramin Rafiee
{"title":"A thermo-mechanical simulation for the stability analysis of a horizontal wellbore in underground coal gasification","authors":"Mohammadreza Shahbazi , Mehdi Najafi , Mohammad Fatehi Marji , Ramin Rafiee","doi":"10.1016/j.petlm.2023.11.003","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The stability analysis of horizontal wells is essential for a successful underground coal gasification (UCG) operation. In this paper, a new 3D coupled thermo-mechanical numerical modeling is proposed for analyzing the stability of UCG horizontal wells. In this model, the effect of front abutment stresses, syngas pressure, syngas temperature and thermal stresses is considered to predict the mud weight window and drilling mud pressure during UCG process. The results show that the roof caving in UCG panel has a greatest impact on the stability of horizontal well. Moreover, when the time of coal gasification is increased, the well convergence increases and for more stability it is necessary to increase the drilling mud pressure. This research was carried out on the M2 coal seam in Mazino coal deposit (Iran). The results showed that the mud weight window for horizontal well drilling is between 0 and 33 MPa. The appropriate stress for the maximum stability of the horizontal well, taking all the thermal and mechanical parameters into account, is 28 MPa. The suggested numerical method is a comprehensive and consistent way for analyzing the stability of horizontal wells in UCG sites.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":37433,"journal":{"name":"Petroleum","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656123000743/pdfft?md5=0de6c0fa8601ac5f32f18613d90f87c2&pid=1-s2.0-S2405656123000743-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Petroleum","FirstCategoryId":"1087","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656123000743","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENERGY & FUELS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The stability analysis of horizontal wells is essential for a successful underground coal gasification (UCG) operation. In this paper, a new 3D coupled thermo-mechanical numerical modeling is proposed for analyzing the stability of UCG horizontal wells. In this model, the effect of front abutment stresses, syngas pressure, syngas temperature and thermal stresses is considered to predict the mud weight window and drilling mud pressure during UCG process. The results show that the roof caving in UCG panel has a greatest impact on the stability of horizontal well. Moreover, when the time of coal gasification is increased, the well convergence increases and for more stability it is necessary to increase the drilling mud pressure. This research was carried out on the M2 coal seam in Mazino coal deposit (Iran). The results showed that the mud weight window for horizontal well drilling is between 0 and 33 MPa. The appropriate stress for the maximum stability of the horizontal well, taking all the thermal and mechanical parameters into account, is 28 MPa. The suggested numerical method is a comprehensive and consistent way for analyzing the stability of horizontal wells in UCG sites.
期刊介绍:
Examples of appropriate topical areas that will be considered include the following: 1.comprehensive research on oil and gas reservoir (reservoir geology): -geological basis of oil and gas reservoirs -reservoir geochemistry -reservoir formation mechanism -reservoir identification methods and techniques 2.kinetics of oil and gas basins and analyses of potential oil and gas resources: -fine description factors of hydrocarbon accumulation -mechanism analysis on recovery and dynamic accumulation process -relationship between accumulation factors and the accumulation process -analysis of oil and gas potential resource 3.theories and methods for complex reservoir geophysical prospecting: -geophysical basis of deep geologic structures and background of hydrocarbon occurrence -geophysical prediction of deep and complex reservoirs -physical test analyses and numerical simulations of reservoir rocks -anisotropic medium seismic imaging theory and new technology for multiwave seismic exploration -o theories and methods for reservoir fluid geophysical identification and prediction 4.theories, methods, technology, and design for complex reservoir development: -reservoir percolation theory and application technology -field development theories and methods -theory and technology for enhancing recovery efficiency 5.working liquid for oil and gas wells and reservoir protection technology: -working chemicals and mechanics for oil and gas wells -reservoir protection technology 6.new techniques and technologies for oil and gas drilling and production: -under-balanced drilling/gas drilling -special-track well drilling -cementing and completion of oil and gas wells -engineering safety applications for oil and gas wells -new technology of fracture acidizing