Abstract: In a general implementation, data regarding a rock sample from a drilling site is received. A thermal-mechanical interaction model is generated based on the rock sample date. The thermal-mechanical interaction model is used to determine a penetration rate and mechanical damage around perforation channels through the modeling of heat that is emitted on an exposed surface of the rock sample by a laser beam emitted from a laser beam source. The determined penetration rate and mechanical damage is used to evaluate an effectiveness of the laser beam source to be used in a perforation at the drilling site.

Abstract: A process for designing a coated proppant particle for downhole transportation and placement. A carrier fluid may transport the coated proppant particle downhole. The process may include selecting a proppant particle material and a coating material. The process may also include selecting a target reduction in a settling velocity and determining a diameter of the coating material disposed on the proppant particle material based on the selected proppant particle material and the density of the coating material. The process for designing a coated proppant particle may include selecting a coating material thickness for coating on the proppant particle material and determining a coating material and design for coating on the proppant particle with the coating material thickness based on the selected proppant particle material and thickness of the coating material to achieve the target reduction in settling velocity.

Abstract: A subterranean zone can be treated by introducing a mixture of an acid-generating material and a proppant (for example, in a pad fluid or a pre-pad fluid) to the subterranean zone. Fractures and microfractures are created in the subterranean zone using the mixture of the acid-generating material and the proppant. The proppant is positioned within the fractures and microfractures to keep them open.

Abstract: Methods for predicting a structural response and failure of a liner for a well can include receiving geometric properties of the liner; receiving structural properties of the liner; receiving material properties of the liner; developing a numerical model of the liner; calibrating one or more parameters of the constitutive model representing the material of the liner, the calibrating including: determining a numerical burst pressure failure; determining a numerical collapse failure pressure; and simulating the structural response and failure of the numerical model subjected to an expected non-uniform pressure loading of the well, where the numerical model is used to predict the structural response and failure of the liner when installed in the well.

Abstract: Methods and systems for fabricating synthetic source rocks with organic materials, for example, using high energy resonant acoustic mixing technology, are provided. An example method includes preparing one or more organic components including kerogen, mixing, by utilizing resonant acoustic waves, the one or more organic components with one or more inorganic components to obtain a mixture, and processing the mixture to fabricate a synthetic source rock. Another example method includes mixing one or more organic components and one or more inorganic components with a kerogen precursor as an organic binder to obtain a mixture including artificial kerogen and processing the mixture to fabricate a synthetic source rock. One or more mechanical or chemo-mechanical properties of the synthetic source rock can be characterized as one or more functions of the one or more organic components and the one or more inorganic components.

Abstract: A method for setting a wellbore casing in a subterranean formation is described. The method includes: drilling a test wellbore in the subterranean formation; generating a density profile of a plurality of geological layers above a salt formation in the subterranean formation based on observations from the test wellbore; calculating an overburden stress imposed on the salt formation by weight of overlying formation based on the density profile of the plurality of geological layers; performing creep mechanical behavior tests on core samples from the salt formation to generate a strain-time curve for the salt formation; calibrating multiple analytical creep models with mechanical properties of the salt data generated by the creep mechanical behavior tests; implementing a wellbore closure model based on a best-fit analytical model and mechanical properties of the multiple analytical creep models; drilling a well; and setting a casing through the salt formation.

Abstract: Methods for predicting a structural response and failure of a liner for a well can include receiving geometric properties of the liner; receiving structural properties of the liner; receiving material properties of the liner; developing a numerical model of the liner; calibrating one or more parameters of the constitutive model representing the material of the liner, the calibrating including: determining a numerical burst pressure failure; determining a numerical collapse failure pressure; and simulating the structural response and failure of the numerical model subjected to an expected non-uniform pressure loading of the well, where the numerical model is used to predict the structural response and failure of the liner when installed in the well.

Abstract: Methods and systems for increasing normalized production rate of an oil and gas reservoir by optimizing the pressure drawdown of the subsurface formation are disclosed. The method includes determining permeability of the subsurface formation as a function of effective stresses, determining stress sensitivity factor, upscaling the permeability values determined for the core sample, determining the optimum pressure drawdown for the subsurface formation, controlling the pressure drawdown in a field operation such that it does not exceed the optimum pressure drawdown for the subsurface formation.

Abstract: A number of average compressibility values of a fractured rock in a wellbore from a depth of interest is determined, where each of the number of average compressibility values is determined according to a different average scheme. For each of the number of average compressibility values, a set of effective stresses' values based on that average compressibility value. For each determined set of stresses values, a set of mud weight window values is determined based on the set of stresses values. A mud weight for the wellbore is adjusted to be within the determined set of mud weight window.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a time-dependent mud weight window are disclosed. The existence of fractures in formation rock along with a type of the formation rock are used to determine the use of a particular solution to determine the mud weight window at a particular time of a wellbore drilling operation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining mechanical properties of formation rock using, for example, millimeter-scale test samples of the formation rock are disclosed. The test samples may be single edge notched beam (SENB) test samples. The systems and methods may include performing laboratory testing on the SENB test samples and recording laboratory testing data obtained from the laboratory testing and performing a simulation on a numerical model of the SENB test samples and recording the simulation data obtained from the simulation. The laboratory testing data and the simulation data may be compared, and a determination may be made as to whether a selected degree of correlation is present between the laboratory testing data and the simulation exists. Mechanical properties of the formation rock are obtained from the simulation data when the selected degree of correlation exists between the laboratory testing data and the simulation data.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for treating a geologic formation that includes providing a hydraulic fracture model, providing a first value representative of a volume of kerogen breaker in a fracturing fluid, determining a discrete fracture network (DFN) based on the hydraulic fracture model and the first value, determining a geomechanical model based on the DFN and a reservoir model based on the DFN, determining a hydrocarbon production volume based on the geomechanical model and the reservoir model, adjusting the first value based on the hydrocarbon production volume, and adjusting a volume of kerogen breaker in the fracturing fluid to a hydrocarbon reservoir based on the adjusted first value.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for treating a geologic formation that includes providing a hydraulic fracture model, providing a first value representative of a volume of kerogen breaker in a fracturing fluid, determining a discrete fracture network (DFN) based on the hydraulic fracture model and the first value, determining a geomechanical model based on the DFN and a reservoir model based on the DFN, determining a hydrocarbon production volume based on the geomechanical model and the reservoir model, adjusting the first value based on the hydrocarbon production volume, and adjusting a volume of kerogen breaker in the fracturing fluid to a hydrocarbon reservoir based on the adjusted first value.

Abstract: A system and method for specifying a composition for a frac fluid including varying crosslinker concentration and high-temperature stabilizer concentration to determine a discrete fracture network (DFN) and hydrocarbon production correlative with the DFN.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems, including computer-implemented methods, computer program products, and computer systems, for determining a mudweight of drilling fluids in a hydrocarbon reservoir. One computer-implemented method includes: receiving pore pressure data of a rock formation in the hydrocarbon reservoir; determining permeability data of fractures of the hydrocarbon reservoir; determining Hoek-Brown failure criterion data; and determining a safe mudweight window based on the pore pressure data of the rock formation, the permeability data of the fractures, and the Hoek-Brown failure criterion data.

Abstract: Nano-indentation test to determine mechanical properties of reservoir rock can be implemented as multi-stage or single-stage tests. An experimental nano-indentation test (multi-stage or single-stage) is performed on a solid sample. A numerical nano-indentation test (multi-stage or single-stage) is performed on a numerical model of the solid sample. One or more experimental force-displacement curves obtained in response to performing the experimental nano-indentation test and one or more numerical force-displacement curves obtained in response to performing the numerical test are compared. Multiple mechanical properties of the solid sample are determined based on a result of the comparing.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for treating a geologic formation that includes providing a hydraulic fracture model, providing a first value representative of a volume of kerogen breaker in a fracturing fluid, determining a discrete fracture network (DFN) based on the hydraulic fracture model and the first value, determining a geomechanical model based on the DFN and a reservoir model based on the DFN, determining a hydrocarbon production volume based on the geomechanical model and the reservoir model, adjusting the first value based on the hydrocarbon production volume, and adjusting a volume of kerogen breaker in the fracturing fluid to a hydrocarbon reservoir based on the adjusted first value.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems, including computer-implemented methods, computer program products, and computer systems, for determining a mudweight of drilling fluids in a hydrocarbon reservoir. One computer-implemented method includes: receiving pore pressure data of a rock formation in the hydrocarbon reservoir; determining permeability data of fractures of the hydrocarbon reservoir; determining Hoek-Brown failure criterion data; and determining a safe mudweight window based on the pore pressure data of the rock formation, the permeability data of the fractures, and the Hoek-Brown failure criterion data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for producing fluids from a subterranean well include introducing expandable beads into a target region of a production zone of the subterranean well, the expandable beads being formed of thermally expandable material in an unexpanded condition with a first diameter. A radial confining stress is increased and a hoop stress is decreased within the target region by thermally expanding the expandable beads so that the beads are in an expanded condition with a second diameter, the second diameter being greater than the first diameter.

Abstract: A method for treating a geologic formation that includes providing a hydraulic fracture model, providing a first value representative of a volume of kerogen breaker in a fracturing fluid, determining a discrete fracture network (DFN) based on the hydraulic fracture model and the first value, determining a geomechanical model based on the DFN and a reservoir model based on the DFN, determining a hydrocarbon production volume based on the geomechanical model and the reservoir model, adjusting the first value based on the hydrocarbon production volume, and adjusting a volume of kerogen breaker in the fracturing fluid to a hydrocarbon reservoir based on the adjusted first value.