Optimum flow control valve setting system and procedure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10337283-B2
Application number	US-201414780955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2014
Priority date	Mar 29, 2013
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

A technique facilitates selection of optimum flow control valve settings to improve a desired objective function in a multizone well having zonal isolation. A network of flow control valves is provided in a completion network disposed along isolated well zones of at least one lateral bore of the multizone well. Data is acquired from downhole in the multizone well and processed on processor system modules which may be used in selected combinations. Examples of such modules comprise completion network modules, deconvolution modules, optimization modules, and/or inflow-outflow modules. The modules are designed to process the collected data in a manner which facilitates adjustment of the flow control valve settings in the network of flow control valves to improve the desired objective function.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling flow in a well, comprising:
obtaining data on pressure and flow rates from a plurality of locations proximate flow control valves which are distributed through a multizone completion in at least one lateral bore of a multizone well;
applying deconvolution of the data on pressures and flow rates to obtain reservoir properties with respect to near wellbore parameters along the at least one lateral bore;
identifying flow control valves flowing an undesirable fluid phase to further establish the reservoir properties based on the deconvolution of the data on pressures and flow rates;
using the reservoir properties in a completion network model of the multizone well;
running an optimization algorithm on the completion network model for a given objective function while the flow control valves remain set at a given flow setting;
outputting results from the optimization algorithm of a fluid inflow-outflow relationship to obtain co-mingled flow rates and pressures in the well to determine an occurrence of cross flow between well zones of the multizone well;
providing a graphical interface depicting interdependence of zonal flow rates and pressures based on a determination that flow through a plurality of the flow control valves is co-mingled into a same wellbore flow path; and
based on a determination that cross flow has occurred between well zones of the multizone well, adjusting flow control valve settings within specified constraints to change flow rates and to thus optimize the given objective function.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising using the data to identify gas breakthrough.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising using the data to identify water breakthrough.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising building the completion network based on a layout of the flow control valves, completion tubing, and reservoir parameters.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein applying deconvolution of the data comprises applying deconvolution on flow control valve sensor data to obtain reservoir properties related to permeability, skin, and productivity.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein obtaining data further comprises obtaining data on flow control valve positions and rates.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one lateral bore comprises a plurality of lateral bores and further wherein obtaining data comprises obtaining data from downhole sensors positioned in the plurality of lateral bores of the multizone well.

8. The method as recited in claim 4 , further comprising periodically recalibrating the completion network model based on updated data.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein outputting results comprises plotting the results and displaying the results on a computer display.

10. A method, comprising:
providing a network of flow control valves in a multilateral completion disposed along isolated well zones of lateral bores of a multilateral well;
acquiring data from downhole in the multilateral well;
applying deconvolution of the data to obtain reservoir properties regarding near wellbore parameters;
identifying fluid phases and flow control valves flowing undesirable fluid phases to further establish the reservoir properties based on the deconvolution of the data on pressures and flow rates;
using the reservoir properties in a completion network model;
optimizing the completion network model for a desired objective function;
adjusting settings of the flow control valves in the network of flow control valves to improve the desired objective function, including improving flow of desired fluid phases from the isolated well zones; and
once flow control valve settings are implemented based on optimizing the completion network model, recalibrating the completion network model to continue an optimization loop wherein the settings of the flow control valves in the network of flow control valves are continually adjusted.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein acquiring data comprises acquiring pressure and temperature data from a plurality of sensors located in the multilateral well.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein acquiring data comprises acquiring flow rate data and flow control valve setting data.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein acquiring data comprises acquiring data on an episodic basis.

14. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein acquiring data comprises acquiring data in real time.

15. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising processing the data to identify gas or water breakthrough.

16. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein optimizing the completion network model comprises running an optimization algorithm on a processor system.

17. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising plotting an inflow-outflow relationship based on the optimization of the completion network model to obtain commingled flow rates and pressures and to determine cross flow of fluids between zones of the multilateral well.

18. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein optimizing the completion network model comprises optimizing for the desired objective function of a maximum oil flow rate from the multilateral well.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Gottumukkala Varma
• Blekhman Vadim
• Banerjee Raj

Classifications

• E21B43/12 Primary

  Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) · CPC title

• E21B34/16 Primary

  Control means therefor being outside the borehole {(control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355)} · CPC title

• E21B34/06 Primary

  in wells · CPC title

• E21B47/06

  Measuring temperature or pressure · CPC title

• E21B43/14

  Obtaining from a multiple-zone well · CPC title