Analysis of the present-day stress state in one of the oil fields of the Abadan Plain: Geomechanical modeling and recommendations for optimizing drilling and reservoir management

Ezati, Mohsen; Ebadi, Mohammad Reza; Hazineh, Mehdi; Kazemeini, Hesammoddin; Shokraneh, Fahimeh; Farokhnia, Foroogh; Amiri, Hamed

doi:10.22107/ggj.2026.525785.1254

Analysis of the present-day stress state in one of the oil fields of the Abadan Plain: Geomechanical modeling and recommendations for optimizing drilling and reservoir management

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mohsen Ezati ¹

Mohammad Reza Ebadi ²

Mehdi Hazineh ¹

Hesammoddin Kazemeini ¹

Fahimeh Shokraneh ¹

Foroogh Farokhnia ¹

Hamed Amiri ¹

¹ Pasargad Exploration and Production Company

² Petroleum Engineering and Development Company (PEDEC)

10.22107/ggj.2026.525785.1254

Abstract

This study analyzes the present-day stress state in one of the oil fields of the Abadan Plain in southwest Iran, with the aim of improving wellbore design and supporting reservoir management decision-making. Owing to the limited availability of reliable stress data in this area—particularly the scarcity of World Stress Map (WSM) information on horizontal stress orientations and the absence of dependable constraints on stress magnitudes and stress regime—a comprehensive geomechanical model was developed through the integration of petrophysical data, image logs, dipole sonic logs, drilling reports, geological data, and leak-off test (LOT) results. Stress indicators interpreted from image logs reveal that the maximum horizontal stress orientation (SHmax) is predominantly aligned in a northeast–southwest direction. Estimation of stress magnitudes further indicates that, within the studied formations, the maximum horizontal stress exceeds the vertical stress, while the minimum horizontal stress is lower than the vertical stress (SHmax > SV > Shmin), implying the dominance of a strike-slip stress regime in the field. The findings are consistent with regional structural trends and available WSM data, and they provide a practical framework for wellbore stability assessment, safe mud weight window determination, drilling trajectory optimization, and the improvement of reservoir management strategies in the oil fields of the Abadan Plain.

Keywords

Stress state

Geomechanical modeling

Drilling

World Stress Map

Abadan Plain