First High Pressure, High Angle Well in Kuwait: Case Study of WMN-2

Origin and Potential of Unconventional Jurassic oil reservoirs on the northern Arabian Plate

“…The pore pressure gradient in the Gotnia Formation halites and anhydrites in West Kuwait is close to 19.25 ppg (1.00 psi/ft) at 12500 ft 8 . The Upper Jurassic section in West Kuwait the Gotnia Formation was successfully drilled in a high angle well with a mud weight of 19.0 -19.2 ppg; the Effective Circulating Density (ECD) during drilling was up to 19.43 ppg -just sufficient to control the pore pressure but low enough to prevent circulation losses 9 . The margin between the pore and fracture pressure in the Gotnia Formation can be as low as 300 psi 8 with a corresponding fracture gradient of 19.7 ppg at 12500ft.…”