Estimating Pore Pressure in HPHT Wells in Yinggehai Basin, China Based on Hierarchical Eaton's Method

Abstract

The application of well logging data is one of the most common prediction methods of pore pressure. According to acquire the field practical applicability and high accuracy, Eaton’s method proposed a definition of area index which can present the local complex factors resulting in abnormal pressure regardless of overpressure generating mechanisms. However, the computed area index is generally calculated by one layer in the whole formation, thereby generating some prediction errors. This paper presents a new method called “Hierarchical Eaton’s Method” that is considering different computed area indexes from different layers. Therefore, the revised Eaton’s method can have higher accuracy comparing to traditional Eaton’s method. Moreover, the application of this new method in HPHT wells in Yinggehai basin, China has been discussed in this paper and indicates the field feasibility of this approach.