Wellbore Stability Analysis: From Linear Elasticity to Postbifurcation Modeling

This paper reviews some of the progress made on wellbore stability modeling during the last two decades. First we demonstrate the improvement made on mud-pressure predictions by moving from analytic elastic solutions to finite element elastoplastic modeling. We show this progress, presenting a finite element model based on a generalized plane strain formulation for analyzing efficiently the three-dimensional problem of stability in deviated wellbores. On a more research oriented work, we present results from two advanced theories capable of modeling localization of deformation in shear bands, which causes borehole breakouts. The first theory is based on a more established approach, the Cosserat continuum. The second theory, called gradient elastoplasticity, is being developed to resolve some of the drawbacks of gradient plasticity theories. Gradient elastoplasticity is a unified theory where both elastic and plastic parts are of gradient type. We demonstrate that both theories, in addition to localization, can also model the scale effect observed in thick-walled cylinder tests.