Pore Pressure Prediction in Offshore Niger Delta: Implications on
Drilling and Reservoir Quality
Abstract
Despite exploration and production success in Niger Delta, several
failed wells have been encountered due to overpressures. Hence, it is
very essential to understand the spatial distribution of pore pressure
and the generating mechanism in order to mitigate the pitfalls that
might arise during drilling. This research provides estimates of pore
pressure along three offshore wells using the Eaton’s transit time
method. An accurate normal compaction trend was estimated using the
Eaton’s exponent (m=3). Our results show that there are three pressure
magnitude regimes: normal pressure zone (hydrostatic pressure),
Transition pressure zone (slightly above hydrostatic pressure), and over
pressured zone (significantly above hydrostatic pressure). The top of
the geopressured zone (2873 mbRT or 9425.853 ft) averagely marks the
onset of overpressurization with the excess pore pressure ratios above
hydrostatic pressure varying averagely along the three wells between P *
= 1.06 − 24.75 MPa and the lithostatic load range is λ = 0.46 − 0.97 and
λ * = 0.2 − 0.9. The parametric study shows that the value of Eaton’s
exponent (m = 3-6) need to be applied with caution based on the dominant
pore pressure generating mechanism in the Niger Delta. The generating
mechanisms responsible for high pore pressure in the Offshore Niger
Delta are disequilibrium compaction, unloading (fluid expansion) and
shale diagenesis.