79848

Plan for Surprises: Pore Pressure Challenges during the drilling of a Deepwater
Exploration Well in mid-winter in Norway
Eamonn F. Doyle, SPE/Knowledge Systems Inc, John R. Berry and Niall J. McCormack, BP Norway.

Copyright 2003, SPE/IADC Drilling Conference

between November 2001 and March 2002. The objective of
This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE/IADC Drilling Conference held in the well was to test several seismic features in the Tertiary and
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 19–21 February 2003.
Upper Cretaceous which were potentially hydrocarbon
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE/IADC Program Committee following bearing, and gather sufficient data to enable complete
review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the
paper, as presented, have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers or the verification of the prospect. The well was planned and drilled
International Association of Drilling Contractors and are subject to correction by the author(s).
The material, as presented, does not necessarily reflect any position of the SPE, IADC, their as a rank wildcat.
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper
for commercial purposes without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers or
Because of the uncertainties inherent both generally in
the International Association of Drilling Contractors is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in deepwater exploration and specifically in this well BP
print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied.
The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper assembled a team of formation pressure and wellbore stability
was presented. Write Librarian, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, Richardson, TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., specialists which was involved in all phases of the well
fax 01-972-952-9435.

Abstract
In the winter of 2001-2002 BP drilled the Havsule exploration
well in 1495m of water offshore Mid-Norway. The efficient
and safe drilling of the well was a major challenge due to a
series of unknown factors including pore pressure. It was
therefore necessary to plan and drill the well with a wide range
of outcomes in mind and be prepared to adjust plans during
drilling operations. With a particular focus on pore pressure,
this paper describes how the well was planned and drilled to
account for the uncertainties involved in drilling an
exploration wildcat far out in the basin and a long way from
any other well.
Some of the challenges were:
• Deepest water well so far in Norway.
• One of the worst winters in recent years.
• A gigantic submarine slide 8000 years ago that removed
several hundred meters of sediment, increasing the
uncertainty concerning pore pressure, fracture and
overburden gradients.
• Uncertainty in the lithology.
During well operations there was a high focus on
monitoring the pore pressure. Annular pressure and formation
pressure were monitored as drilling progressed and pressure
prediction models were continuously updated.
The results show that careful objective setting, planning,
teamwork and implementation can help to achieve results even Fig. 1: Location of Havsule and Offset Wells
in difficult conditions with large uncertainties. operation, from the start of planning, throughout the drilling of
the well and in the post-well evaluation.
Introduction The well was originally planned to be spudded and
The Havsule deepwater well was drilled by BP Norway in completed in the spring and early summer of 2001, in order to
1495m water depth using the Scarabeo 5 dynamically maximise chances of benign weather conditions in what is an
positioned semi-submersible vessel in the Norwegian Sea extremely exposed area of the Norwegian shelf. However,
2 [Eamonn Doyle, John R. Berry and Niall J. McCormack]
repeated delays in rig availability resulted in the well being
spudded on 1 December 2001, reaching total depth in Feb
2002. Thus it was drilled in winter, through one of the worst
weather periods in recent years, and consequently suffered a
lot of downtime while waiting on weather.
Not only did the delay seriously affect the drilling time
curve, it also meant that the pre-well planning process, having
been completed for the original pre-summer spud scenario,
had to be restarted after the summer to take account of a
completely different set of circumstances.
Pore Pressure Estimation Theory and Assumptions
Pore pressure analysis models are typically based on
several assumptions:
- Mechanical compaction is the dominant mechanism for
porosity reduction in the sediments and the effects of
secondary mineralization are minimal or can be calibrated
into models (Osborne and Swarbrick, 1997).
- Mechanical compaction depends on the current and past
values of Terzaghi’s effective stress, which equals the
total stress minus the pore pressure.
- Compaction is basically a one-dimensional process. As a
consequence, the vertical effective stress can be used by
itself to define a sediment’s compaction state. This
assumption was tested for this one case using 2D basin
modelling and found to be true for the Havsule area.
Fig.2: Well 6305/1-1 showing uplift/no uplift scenarios for pore pressure
- We know the total vertical stress or, equivalently, the
overburden. This is usually calculated from density logs,
regional correlations, or density/velocity transforms.
- Then by the effective stress definition, the pore pressure is
related to the above two variables as follows:
[79848]
Equation 1
p = sv − σv
Where: p = pore pressure
sv = vertical total stress or overburden
σv = Terzaghi’s vertical effective stress
By dividing each of these stresses by the true vertical
depth, the stresses can be expressed as gradients, which are
dimensionally equivalent to density. The resulting expression
can be solved for the pore pressure gradient to obtain the
fundamental equation for pore pressure prediction:
Equation 2
PP = OBG – ES
Where: PP = pore pressure gradient
OBG = overburden gradient
ES = effective stress gradient
Various investigators, such as Eaton, Bowers, Alixant and
others, have provided means of estimating the effective stress
from porosity or directly from sonic velocity. These methods
provide the basis for pore pressure estimation from well logs
or seismic velocities.
Shale or claystone has a log response that can be
quantitatively related to its state of effective stress. Sandstone
and other sedimentary rocks may not undergo significant
porosity reduction with burial. The next two assumptions
apply to resistivity-based pore pressure prediction models:
- The resistivity of the connate water is relatively constant
over an interval characterized by a particular lithology.
79848 Plan for Surprises: Pore Pressure Challenges during the drilling of a Deepwater Exploration Well in mid-winter in Norway
- The effective stress in the shale can be inferred from the
porosity-dependent log response. Specifically, the
effective stress is presumed to be adequately modelled
using a technique introduced by Eaton (1972) for
resistivity geopressure analyses.
Processes at the Planning Stage
Production of a reliable pore pressure and fracture gradient
profile is of great importance at the planning stage of any well.
The added potential difficulties of this well and the distance of
45km to the nearest offset well demanded even more emphasis
be put on the pore pressure prognosis and to this end the
following procedures were used to assess the likely range of
pore pressures to be encountered in this well:
- Study of seismic interval velocities
- 2D Basin modelling
The offset well data were used to calibrate both the basin
models and the predictions from seismic velocities. Pore
pressure ranges were determined from both basin modelling
and seismic interval velocities and then merged to provide a
best estimate and worst case for planning the well.
Seismic data.
In general, the predictions from velocities show a higher pore
pressure in the Tertiary shales than drilling indicators
suggested and also higher than the basin model. The basin
model showed the highest pre-drill prediction for the shallow
section and the high pore pressure case was for the Tertiary
was based on the basin modelling P50 case. However, these
predictions were retained in the possible range of pore
pressures. The relative predictions were reversed in the
Cretaceous and the range in pressures retained reflected the
differences.
Determining pore pressures from seismic interval
velocities is based on the assumption that there is a consistent
regional relationship between acoustic velocity and effective
overburden stress. The pore pressure is then determined by
subtracting the calculated effective overburden stress for the
total overburden stress based on Tezarghi’s effective stress
law. Offset well data are used to assess whether or not there is
a reliable link between shale acoustic velocities and pressure.
It is then assumed that shales are sufficiently dominant and
their properties sufficiently uniform, that seismic interval
velocities closely align to the shale velocities.
The process adopted here was as follows:
a) Use offset well data to establish an appropriate density
and overburden versus depth trend.
b) From sonic log velocities/travel times predict
pressures in the offset wells using standard model
settings and compare with direct measurements of
pressure (RFTs, kicks) and indirect indicators of
pressure (e.g. mud weights used and hole conditions
experienced).
c) Adjust standard model compaction trend settings
where necessary to get the best, consistent match
between predicted pressure for shale acoustic velocity
and actual measured/inferred pressure from the well.
d) Extract seismic interval velocities at the proposed well
location.
3
e) Use overburden and adjusted model compaction trend
settings from a) and c) above to calculate the pressure
at the prospect location.
f) Follow a similar process to match the fracture gradient
of the offset wells to those predicted by the model and
apply those trends to the prospect location.
Accounting for Uplift.
An important consideration in thiswork was to try to account
for the effects of major regional events of recent geological
time. If formations have been subjected to greater overburden
loading than that occurring at the present day, the result will
be overcompaction and hence the normally pressured
compaction trend cannot be predicted from the present day
loading. Pressure evaluation software needs to be able to take
this into account.
The two ‘events’ of concern in this respect are:
- The Storegga slide, an enormous land slip which
occurred within the last 100,000 years, in which it is
estimated that as much as 600m of sediment was
removed from the surface.
- The loading and removal of ice sheets over this
region in the past 20,000 years, which also adds to
the complexity of assessing compaction and
undercompaction scenarios. The west coast of
Norway is still ‘rebounding’ from the effects of ice
sheet loading.
The uplift scenario was tested out on the data from the
offset wells to see if it could be used to better match predicted
pore pressures with measured pressures and well experiences.
Figure 2 shows the predicted pore pressure curves for well
6305/1-1, with and without accounting for uplift. The figure
also shows pressure measurements from the well. The
estimated pressures in the zero-uplift model for the shales
adjacent to the sands are around 0.07sg mud weight equivalent
lower than the measured pressures. If 200m uplift is allowed
for in the computed compaction trend, the match with
measured pressure is quite good.
The caliper and bit size comparison shown on the figure
indicates that the interval between about 2000m and 2600m is
quite rugose, which is consistent with the conclusion that this
section was drilled underbalance as implied by the pore
pressure being higher than the mud weight used in this section.
Similar studies done on the other wells in block 6305
produced varying results. However the main conclusion
reached was that the zero-uplift case in general produces better
fit between estimated and measured pore pressures.
Fracture Gradient estimation
A number of generic fracture gradient predictors were used in
an attempt to best match the LOT (leak off test) data from the
offset wells. The result was a simple fracture gradient
prediction based on assuming a constant Poisson’s ratio of
0.41. This gave a predicted fracture gradient that is slightly
lower, by about 0.02sg, than the LOT values at shallow depth,
but slightly higher, again by about 0.02sg. at greater depths.
4 [Eamonn Doyle, John R. Berry and Niall J. McCormack] [79848]

Basin Modelling permeability. A 2D section was chosen such that it intersected

As standard for all exploration wells in BP, pore pressure the Havsule structure, the Modgunn high which is updip to the
prediction from basin modelling was performed, in addition to north-west and the ‘regional high’ in the Havsule area. The
the prediction of pore pressure from seismic interval Havsule fetch area was also included, such that the lateral
velocities. Pore pressure prediction using basin modelling is transfer of pressure to the Havsule structure could be assessed.
based on the assumption that pore pressure is determined by For calibration of the permeability structure of the sediment
the rate of escape of water from the sediment pile as it is pile the line also intersects the Ormen Lange Field area, its
buried. Thus the primary controlling factors on pore pressure fetch and up dip area (Figure 3). The geometries chosen
are: ensured that the mass balance of fetch area to anticline was
- the permeabilities of the mudstones in the stratigraphic maintained, resulting in a reasonable 2D approximation of the
column. which dictates the rate of vertical flow of water volume of water available for pore pressure. The most likely
in the system geological scenario as supplied by the Havsule subsurface
- lateral connectivity of high permeability units in three
dimensions. which dictate the rate of flow of water
laterally in the system Havsule 6305/1-1
- the rate of burial. which combined with the above dictates
the volume of water in the system
Thus the pore pressure of the mudstones, where known,
can be inverted to permeability. This can in turn be used to
forward model the expected pore pressure at a point where the
mudstones are considered to have the same ‘normal’
compaction trends. A normal compaction trend is the trend
that would be expected under hydrostatic burial conditions.
The 3D aspect of water flow in sandy units is
approximated in 2D sections and the effect of lateral
connectivity and the extent of the more permeable units
Fig. 4: One of the basin model lithological scenarios run for
are assessed using multiple scenarios.
pore pressure prediction, showing Havsule prospect and
Ormen Lange 6305/1-1. Mudstones are in green with the
sandstones in yellow and siltstones in orange. Water flow in
mudstones is predominantly vertical, however sandstones
show predominantly lateral water flow.

team was used for the first model build. This defined the
permeability structures in the Hasule area and the Ormen
Lange area. The lateral extent of the sandstones in the system
was modeled to estimate the maximum and minimum updip
pressure transmission from the basin centres.
The process was basically as follows:
a) A basin model was built using most likely lithology
data, covering the Havsule prospect, the Ormen
Lange discovery and their respective fetch areas. See
figure 4.
b) Lithological scenarios were built to account for the
range in geology that could produce the pore
pressures observed in the Ormen Lange discovery.
c) The pressure data from the Ormen Lange discovery
were used to calibrate the mudstone permeabilities
Fig. 3: The line of section used for the using the five geological scenarios, which
basin models. The line was altered along represented a range of possibilities covering the
the length of Ormen Lange to preserve the maximum, minimum and most likely pore pressure
water mass balance along the section regimes in the Ormen Lange area.
d) The calibrated models were then run with various
pressure scenarios for the Havsule prospect, always
ensuring that all the models were calibrated at Ormen
The basin models were built in a software package produced Lange. Figure 5.
by Beicip. This forward models compaction and water flow in
sedimentary piles, allowing for undercompaction related to
increasing overpressure and the resulting effects on
79848 Plan for Surprises: Pore Pressure Challenges during the drilling of a Deepwater Exploration Well in mid-winter in Norway 5

pressures includes a low, a mid and a high pressure estimate.

A similar series of fracture gradient predictions was produced.

Data Acquisition during Drilling

A Data Acquisition (DA) team was created to look at all
aspects of data acquisition during drilling to ensure that all
needs were met and eventualities planned for. At least one
senior person from each relevant service provider was
included in the DA team, which was thus made up of people
from:
– surface data logging
Fig. 5: Present day overpressure model along the line – formation pressure prediction and monitoring
of section showing the mudstone overpressure – drilling fluids
predicted for Havsule and the Ormen Lange – drilling optimisation
calibration. – logging while drilling
– wireline logging
– core cutting and handling
The main results of this work are shown, together with the – geochemical analysis
results of the seismic study, in Figure 6. The basin modelling – operator project geology
also indicated that overpressure could be present at relatively – operator operations geology
shallow depths (around 600 mBML), but the extent of – operator DA coordinator
overpressure is not as large as predicted from velocities. At – operator drilling department

Fig. 6: Pore pressure predictions from seismic and basin modelling, merged for final prognosis
depth the pressure regression suggested from velocities is not
predicted from the basin modelling. It was decided to weight
the merged pressure estimates towards the velocity predictions
in the very shallow section, joint weighting in the lower
Tertiary and towards the basin modelling predictions in the
Cretaceous. This takes the more conservative design, but it
also reflects the opinion that velocity predictions can be more
reliable at shallow depths, while basin modelling is more
reliable at greater depth. The final predicted range of pore
Status meetings were held each week and each service
provider had responsibility for following up and reporting on
relevant items. The main benefits of this approach were:
– All members of the team were kept involved throughout
the decision-making process.
– Interaction between team members could be handled in an
efficient and timely manner so that any potential problems
were flagged and addressed early.
6 [Eamonn Doyle, John R. Berry and Niall J. McCormack]
– Long lead-time items, such as Seismic-While-Drilling,
could be thoroughly discussed and appropriate action
taken.
– The DA team was also an integral part of the Operator’s
well planning team, thus ensuring that all interests at all
stages of the well were correctly addressed.
Some of the main items of responsibility of the pore pressure
service provider as part of the DA team were:
- Finalise PP Strategy
- Complete offset data collection
- Prepare PP and FG prognoses
- Finalise realtime data transmission scheme w/ LWD and
SDL providers
- Prepare complete model for well spud
- Run 1-day software school for wellsite geologists
- Set up offshore personnel schedule
- Establish communications chain for PP reports/
discussions at wellsite and between wellsite and shore.
Fig.7 : Offset wells and data types collected and analysed
Pore Pressure Planning
Knowledge Systems, Inc (KSI) was contracted to perform
pore pressure planning, monitoring and evaluation in real time
to ensure drilling was carried out as safely and efficiently as
possible from start to finish and to allow for pro-active
management of the drilling process. This involved use of
KSI’s proprietary software and an experienced operator on
board the rig from start of the pilot hole at seabed through to
reaching total depth at 3650mRKB.
The service used realtime input of data from Logging-
While-Drilling (LWD) and Surface Data Logging (SDL) to
automatically calculate pore pressure and fracture gradient and
to display all input data and results in real time, thus giving the
[79848]
client ample warning of pore pressure changes and providing
as accurate as possible an estimate of pore pressure at bit at all
times. In addition to continual quantitative calculation of pore
pressures from resistivity and dxc (corrected drilling
exponent), other pressure indicators such as total gas, gas
peaks, rotary torque, overpull/hole fill on connections,
temperature, percentage of cavings, etc were monitored and
used in the pressure estimation process so the user had access
to all relevant information on a single display.
During the planning process, an independent pre-drill
study was made by KSI in which all available relevant data
and information for the closest reference wells were collected
and imported into the software. This allowed for calculation of
an area Overburden Gradient (OBG) curve and calibration of
the pore pressure calculation trendline methods, for use at the
start of pore pressure monitoring on Havsule before other
relevant data became available on the well.
Figure 7 shows a summary of the offset wells included in
the pre-drill study and the data types collected wherever
possible for those wells. All data were imported into, and
analysed in, the proprietary software, to create the pre-drill
model. The model thus obtained was then used as the start
point for PP monitoring while drilling and updated with data
in realtime.
Final Pre-Drill Preparations
The Operator’s pore pressure prognosis was used as input to
the drilling programme and the well casing and mud
programmes were based on this. All pressure prognoses were
combined in the software for a complete overview of the
various scenarios. As drilling progressed each prognosis
would be updated based on real incoming data.
79848 Plan for Surprises: Pore Pressure Challenges during the drilling of a Deepwater Exploration Well in mid-winter in Norway
Geopressure Monitoring while Drilling
The main items of the scope of work for the wellsite pore
pressure monitoring service were:
- Realtime import and analysis of all data
- Realtime update of software model
- Reporting of PP/FG as required
- Transmission of PP-MW-FG-OBG data as required
- Update software model and estimates with wireline data
as available
- Update model and prediction using VSP data
- Communicate with Operator skill centre to get updated
geological models.
Fig.8: View from realtime monitoring. (Depths and Stratigraphy removed)
The geopressure monitoring service was mobilised so that
monitoring could begin from the start of drilling the 12 ¼”
pilot hole from seabed. The service was located in the wellsite
geologist’s office on the rig and data imported in realtime via
an RS232 cable, which had been pre-installed by the SDL
provider, to provide a direct WITS (Wellsite Information
Transfer Specification) data transfer link between the KSI
computer and the SDL system.
The formats for transmission of both LWD and SDL data
had been agreed beforehand. The LWD data imported were
Gamma Ray, Attenuation and Phase Resistivity, Effective
Circulating Density and Annulus Temperature. The SDL data
were ROP, WOB, RPM, Torque, Mud Density In, Mud Flow
In and Total Gas. Thus a drilling exponent could be
calculated and corrected using actual measured ECD. These
transmission formats are completely flexible to handle
whatever data are available.
Summary of Geopressure Monitoring practice on this well
The Overburden Gradient (OBG) is a very important input
7
parameter to most quantitative pressure estimation methods
and a lot of effort was made to ensure that the OBG used
during drilling was the best possible. For most pre-drill studies
an area-wide OBG is established using offset density data.
However, because of the distances between wells and the
differences in water depths this was not done here. Instead the
OBG developed by BP from the surface location seismic data
was used as the best estimate of overburden gradient for the
Havsule location and is used for the sake of consistency in all
PP calculations.
At the end of the well the RhoZ data were imported and
an OBG calculated. A series of curves were generated using
different values for the average sediment density between top
log data at 2441m and seabed at 1520m. A value of 1.95g/cc
was decided on, based mainly on quality of log data and
comparison with offset tophole densities, and a final OBG
dataset created. This OBG is lower than the BP-generated one
for all of its length to TD, but this has no real effect on the
final estimated PP because the PP estimates are calibrated
using connection gas peaks and a final PP curve for the well
created manually based both on empirical methods and on
well response.
The pre-drill studies had indicated that the Exponent
Method could be used reliably in this area for estimating pore
pressure, applying the standard exponents of 1.2 for resistivity
and dxc, and 3.0 for sonic. A normal hydrostatic PP of 1.03sg,
and the OBG final dataset described above, were also used as
input to the equations.
The PP estimates were updated constantly as the dxc and
resistivity data were received. The LWD gamma ray was used,
with an operator-maintained shale baseline, for definition of
shale intervals, which are then applied automatically to the
8 [Eamonn Doyle, John R. Berry and Niall J. McCormack] [79848]

porosity-indicating logs to create ‘shale porosity’ logs. Normal compensate for subsurface uncertainties, one of which is
Compaction Trendlines (NCTs) were applied to these shale pressure conditions. The pre-drill pressure prediction for the
porosity datasets and used for direct calculation of pore Havsule deeep water well was created from an integrated
pressure. interpretation of offset well data, seismic velocity information
This was done continually during drilling from corrected and basin modelling to produce the best possible prediction.
drilling exponent and LWD resistivity, and the wireline sonic During the drilling of the well, real time pressure monitoring
was used in the same way as it became available to provide a by a wellsite pressure specialist formed an essential part of the
separate estimation of PP. The sonic log is normally process. To revise the pressure interpretation real time, all
considered the most reliable for PP calculation purposes and available data from the well and the pre-drill prediction were
therefore the final PP at the end of each hole section is revised integrated by the offshore team and the onshore experts who
as necessary based on the sonic data. Of course where LWD created the original prediction. By using this integrated
sonic is available this becomes the most important realtime approach it was possible to deliver a clear interpretation of the
source of quantitative PP. well pressure at any juncture, to allow well design decisions to
Although the calculation of PP and FG were performed be taken.
automatically, full operator control was maintained so that the
results could be tuned interactively according to all relevant Acknowledgements
data inputs, including hole response, gas and lithology. In fact The authors would like to thank Havsule Licence holders,
the few connection gases which appeared during drilling were BP, Petoro, ConocoPhillips and TotalFinaElf for permission to
very useful in corroborating the estimated PP. write this paper, and BP and Knowledge Systems Inc for
Throughout the well the two main realtime porosity providing the resources and information needed. We would
indicators, dxc and resistivity, produced quite similar PP specifically like to thank the following people for their
profiles, and when wireline sonic data were added the contribution to this paper Alan Ford, Knut Hansch, Sam
resultant PP from sonic agreed very well with the PP curves Johnson, Andy Johnston, and Mike McClean.
from dxc and resistivity.
References
Observations from Wellsite Monitoring of Pore Pressure Osborne, M.J. and R.E. Swarbrick, 1997, Mechanisms for
- Pore pressure was monitored for the entire well, and Generating Overpressure in Sedimentary Basins: A
reported to BP at daily or whenever significant changes in Reevaluation: AAPG Bulletin, v. 81, p. 1023-1041
PP were seen.
- The original pilot hole was drilled to planned depth Beicap-Franlab Petroleum Consultants, Temispack software
without any pressure-related problems. for basin analysis.
- Pore pressure increase from hydrostatic first began in the
base of the Tertiary Nordland Group. Knowledge Systems Inc, Drillworks/PREDICT software for
- The main pore pressure transition occurred throughout the pore pressure analysis.
Hordaland Group.
- Pore pressure development was an important factor in
deciding mud weight and the setting depths of the 13 3/8”
and 9 5/8” casing strings, and also in deciding the total
depth for the well.
- The pore pressure at TD is estimated to be close to the
maximum seen in the well. The ahead-of-bit prognosis
indicated a risk of continuing increase in pressure with
depth
- On the occasions when estimated PP was close to mud
weight, connection gases were used to support and
confirm this.
- The PP estimates from wireline sonic data confirmed
estimates obtained from resistivity and dxc.
- Increasing ECD, particularly in the 8.5” hole section
made it critical to optimize the drilling mudweight and
thus knowledge of the pore pressure was very important.
- The WITS data link from LWD and SDL worked very
well.
- A large amount of very useful data was collected and
stored for further use by BP.

Conclusions
In well planning it is critical to adopt a multidisciplinary
approach to produce the most efficient well design to