Micromechanical Analysis of Compaction and Drilling of Granular Media- A Review

Abstract

Granular matter is ubiquitous in our daily life yet far from completely understood. These granular materials have constituted a class of complex systems which exhibit global behaviors been reminiscent of solids, liquids, gases, or otherwise uniquely their own. The key to achieve good properties lies in the material structure from the molecules, via structures on nano and micro levels to the macroscopic material. This paper also reviewed selected approaches and models that have been developed for granular media prediction. However, development of new approaches at the micro and nano scales to sense the stress distribution characteristics of complex rock media, especially the grounds bearing petroleum resources of Nigeria has been of vital concern/importance to the area of petroleum drilling and exploration. By conducting such fundamental level research, development of highly efficient drilling processes with potentially much less energy inputs and minimizing the carbon blue prints is the best approach.