Elastic and Viscoelastic Calculations of Stresses in Sedimentary Basins

Abstract

Summary This study presents a method for estimating the stress state within reservoirs at depth with a time-history approach for both elastic and viscoelastic rock behavior. The model can incorporate changes in pore pressure, temperature gradients, consolidation and diagenesis through time-varying material properties, and varying tectonic episodes. Example calculations are presented for simple cases and for a complete stress history of rocks in the Piceance basin.