Overburden Stress Estimation in Shallow Sediments Where Density Log is Unavailable: A Geomechanical Approach
Abstract: Understanding pore pressure is critical to safe well drilling. The lack of density logs in shallow sediments, both onshore and offshore, limits overburden-stress estimation, the first step and essential for pore-pressure prediction. Although various methods routinely generate pseudo-density logs and integrate them with density logs from deeper intervals, these approaches lack a solid geomechanical basis. Shallow sediments are unconsolidated and exhibit plastic behaviour, so extending the elastic model used for deeper sediments is inappropriate. Collecting geotechnical data is therefore essential to building a reliable density model for shallow sediments and, consequently, pore-pressure and fracture-stress models that can mitigate shallow hazards and support safe drilling. This paper introduces a methodology for evaluating the geotechnical properties of shallow sediments and for developing an integrated model that is geomechanically sound and suitable for use along the shallow well trajectory.
Keywords: Density, Overburden, porosity, soil boring, elastic, plastic, LOT, pseudo-density
How to Cite?: Pratap V. Nair, "Overburden Stress Estimation in Shallow Sediments Where Density Log is Unavailable: A Geomechanical Approach", Volume 15 Issue 11, November 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 312-321, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR261109212643, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR261109212643