Assessing the mechanical stability of horizontal boreholes in coal

Horizontal wells are used in some geological settings in the petroleum industry to produce methane from coal seams. Horizontal directional drilling is used in the mining industry to enhance the effectiveness of coal degasification procedures and to aid in the delineation of coal reserves. Coals tend to be mechanically weak, hence they are prone to borehole instability related problems during drilling, completion, and production operations. This paper includes a review of the mechanical properties of selected coals and provides two empirical cross-plots that can be used for estimating coal strength from index tests and geophysical logs. Linear elastic borehole stability models are demonstrated to be appealing because they are easily implemented, require a minimum of input data, and are well suited to rapid parameter sensitivity analyses. Using experience obtained drilling vertical wells in a given setting, a methodology is described for calibrating linear elastic models to provide realistic borehole stability predictions. Furthermore, as demonstrated using a western Canadian example (a shallow well in the Ardley coal zone), relatively simple elastoplastic models can be used effectively for borehole stability analyses. The important effects of filter cake, coal depth, and rock strength anisotropy are demonstrated with two different elastoplastic models.