Method of using pressure signatures to predict injection well anomalies

Abstract

A method of designing a response to a fracture behavior of a formation during re-injection of cuttings into a formation, the method including obtaining a pressure signature for a time period, interpreting the pressure signature for the time period to determine a fracture behavior of the formation, determining a solution based on the fracture behavior of the formation, and implementing the solution is disclosed. A method of assessing a subsurface risk of a cuttings re-injection operation, the method including obtaining a pressure signature for a time period, interpreting the pressure signature to determine a fracture behavior of the formation, characterizing a risk associated with the determined fracture behavior of the formation, and implementing a solution based on the characterized risk is also disclosed.

1 . A method of designing a response to a fracture behavior of a formation during re-injection of cuttings into a formation, the method comprising:
 obtaining a pressure signature for a time period;   interpreting the pressure signature for the time period to determine a fracture behavior of the formation;   determining a solution based on the fracture behavior of the formation; and   implementing the solution.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein interpreting the pressure signature comprises determining the pressure signature to be one of the group consisting of normal pressure decline, wellbore storage pressure decline, fracture storage pressure decline, decline pressure rebound, and injection above overburden. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining a second pressure signature from a time period after implementing the solution and determining if the solution affected the fracture behavior. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising characterizing a subsurface risk of the fracture behavior. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the solution comprises determining a cause of the fracture behavior. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a visual representation of the pressure signature. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interpreting the pressure signature comprises comparing the pressure signature to a known pressure signature. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the time period comprises a fracture closure period. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the time period comprises a post shut-in interval. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution comprises injecting sea water downhole. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solution comprises continuing the cuttings re-injection operation. 
     
     
         12 . A method of assessing a subsurface risk of a cuttings re-injection operation, the method comprising:
 obtaining a pressure signature for a time period;   interpreting the pressure signature to determine a fracture behavior of the formation;   characterizing a risk associated with the determined fracture behavior of the formation; and   implementing a solution based on the characterized risk.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the interpreting the pressure signature comprises comparing the pressure signature to a known pressure signature. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the known pressure signature comprises at least one of a group consisting of normal pressure decline, wellbore storage pressure decline, fracture storage pressure decline, decline pressure rebound, and injection above overburden. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the characterizing a risk associated with the determined fracture behavior of the formation comprises determining the possibility of the determined fracture behavior affecting a planned well. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the characterizing a risk associated with the determined fracture behavior of the formation comprises determining the well disposal capacity based on the fracture behavior. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the solution comprises injecting sea water downhole. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the solution comprises continuing the cuttings re-injection operation.