Systems and methods for subsurface oil recovery optimization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10370940-B2
Application number	US-201214350000-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2012
Priority date	Oct 6, 2011
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for subsurface secondary and/or tertiary oil recovery optimization based on either a short term, medium term or long term optimization analysis of selected zones, wells, patterns/clusters and/or fields.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving, using a processor, input corresponding to a selection of one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields of a hydrocarbon fluid reservoir, wherein the one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields is selected from a sweep efficiency health display, which comprises one of a current sweep efficiency health display and one of multiple predicted sweep efficiency health displays, and wherein the current sweep efficiency health display is based on current conditions data, which comprises real-time surveillance field data;
receiving field data associated with the selected one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields, the field data representing one or more real-time conditions existing within the selected one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields;
detecting an event using the field data associated with the selected one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields, the event representing a non-optimal condition of the selected one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields, and the non-optimal condition being below a performance threshold;
determining whether a cause of the non-optimal condition is immediately resolvable, the immediate resolution of the cause including an action that is performed in real-time as a reaction to the detected event, and the resolution of the non-optimal condition causing the non-optimal condition to meet or exceed the performance threshold;
in response to determining that the cause of the non-optimal condition is immediately resolvable, automatically selecting one or more scenarios from a plurality of scenarios, the plurality of scenarios being specific to the detected event, the selection of the one or more scenarios from the plurality of scenarios being based on the non-optimal condition, and each of the one or more selected scenarios corresponding to an action that optimizes the non-optimal condition in response to the detected event;
displaying a visual representation of the one or more selected scenarios, the visual representation indicating the action corresponding to each selected scenario, wherein the displayed one or more scenarios and corresponding actions are ranked according to at least one of net present value, increased oil recovery, and reduced recovery of unwanted gas or fluids;
receiving input corresponding to a selection of a scenario of the one or more selected scenarios;
determining, using the processor, an effect on the non-optimal condition of the action corresponding to the selected scenario, the determined effect simulating an improvement of the non-optimal condition from below the performance threshold to above the performance threshold;
displaying the action corresponding to the selected scenario; and automatically performing the action corresponding to the selected scenario, the performance of the action immediately resolving the non-optimal condition of the selected one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields, and the performance of the action improving a sweep efficiency health indicator of the hydrocarbon fluid reservoir.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining if optimization is desired based on the one or more selected scenarios and the effect of the action on the one or more selected zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising selecting the scenario-from the one or more selected scenarios for implementation.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising executing the corresponding action for each selected scenario as a short term optimization response to an undesirable sweep efficiency health indicator.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the corresponding action for each selected scenario is remotely executed.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising sending an approval for manual implementation of the corresponding action for each selected scenario.

7. The method of claim 3 , further comprising sending a request for the implementation of the corresponding action for each selected scenario with a business case report and recommendation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple displayed scenarios and corresponding actions are ranked for reactive -optimization.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising running the one or more selected scenarios on a simulator in real-time to determine the effect of each corresponding action on the one or more selected zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields on a prediction date.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising diagnosing a cause of an undesirable sweep efficiency health indicator for the sweep efficiency health display using streamline numerical calculation to estimate correlation factors and well allocation factors.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the displayed-scenarios and corresponding actions are based on one or more respective proxy models.

12. A non-transitory program carrier device for carrying computer executable instructions for short term oil recovery optimization, the instructions being executable to implement:
receiving, using a processor, input corresponding to a selection of one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields of a hydrocarbon fluid reservoir, wherein the one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields is selected from a sweep efficiency health display, which comprises one of a current sweep efficiency health display and one of multiple predicted sweep efficiency health displays, and wherein the current sweep efficiency health display is based on current conditions data, which comprises real-time surveillance field data;
receiving field data associated with the selected one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields, the field data representing one or more real-time conditions existing within the selected one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields;
detecting an event using the field data associated with the selected one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields, the event representing a non-optimal condition of the selected one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields, and the non-optimal condition being below a performance threshold;
determining whether a cause of the non-optimal condition is immediately resolvable, the immediate resolution of the cause including an action that is performed in real-time as a reaction to the detected event, and the resolution of the non-optimal condition causing the non-optimal condition to meet or exceed the performance threshold;
in response to determining that the cause of the non-optimal condition is immediately resolvable, automatically selecting one or more scenarios from a plurality of scenarios, the plurality of scenarios being specific to the detected event, the selection of the one or more scenarios from the plurality of scenarios being based on the non-optimal condition, and each of the one or more selected scenarios corresponding to an action that optimizes the non-optimal condition in response to the detected event;
displaying a visual representation of the one or more selected scenarios, the visual representation indicating the action corresponding to each selected scenario, wherein the displayed one or more scenarios and corresponding actions are ranked according to at least one of net present value, increased oil recovery, and reduced recovery of unwanted gas or fluids;
receiving input corresponding to a selection of a scenario of the one or more selected;
determining, using the processor, an effect on the non-optimal condition of the action corresponding to the selected scenario, the determined effect simulating an improvement of the non

Assignees

• Landmark Graphics Corp

Inventors

• Ranjan Priyesh
• Gorell Sheldon Burt
• Kumar Amit
• Cullick Alvin Stanley
• Carvajal Gustavo A
• Urrutia Karelis Alejandra
• Khan Hasnain
• Saputelli Luigi Alfonso
• Nasr Hatem

Classifications

• G06F30/00

  Computer-aided design [CAD] · CPC title

• G01B7/023

  for measuring distance between sensor and object (G01B7/082 and G01B7/102 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65F2003/003

  Footboards · CPC title

• B60R3/007 Primary

  Removable steps or ladders, e.g. foldable (as access means for vehicle tops B60R3/005) · CPC title

• B65F3/00

  Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse (vehicles in general B60; driving vehicle equipment or auxiliaries B60K; discharging contents by tilting entire vehicles B65G; wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools E03F7/10) · CPC title