Elastoplastic subsidence models with and without capillary effects Original Research Article

This paper investigates reservoir compaction and resulting surface subsidence during the exploitation of a gas reservoir and in the period after well shutdown. A substantial difference in behaviour results when assuming elastic and elastoplastic constitutive relationships for the reservoir rock and surroundings. Further, a correction is introduced to account for capillary effects, which strongly modify the behaviour especially after shutdown and may account for the ongoing subsidence observed.