What Does
Fracture Resistance Mean?
Fracture resistance refers to the resistance of a formation containing natural gas and oil reserves to fracture during a drilling operation. Mud loss is frequently encountered while drilling and happens when the mud weight essential to maintain wellbore stability and well control exceeds the fracture resistance of the formation, especially in depleted reservoirs.
Techniques to strengthen the wellbore include the use of cement, casings, and resins to increase the fracture resistance of weaker formations.
Trenchlesspedia Explains Fracture Resistance
Natural fractures present in the formations, can change wellbore stress and decrease the fracture resistance of a formation creating a small operating window between pore pressure and fracture pressure. Wellbore instability is also observed in these formations leading to the weakening of the formation.
If the pore pressure exceeds the pressure in the open wellbore the formation fluid tends to flow from the formation into the open wellbore. However; if the pressure from the wellbore fluid exceeds the fracture resistance of the formation, it can cause a fracture in the formation and accompanied mud losses.