Optimized geosteering using real-time geological models

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11118441-B2
Application number	US-201816200898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2018
Priority date	Feb 5, 2016
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for optimized geosteering include creating a parameter matrix, which comprises a formation property for each pair of true vertical depth (TVD) coordinates from a geological model and measured depth (MD) coordinates from a predefined well trajectory; updating the parameter matrix by replacing the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the parameter matrix with the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for an actual well trajectory; and compiling a distance to bed boundary (DTBB) array and one or more other logging while drilling (LWD) arrays using corresponding measurements at the MD coordinates of the actual well trajectory; and calculating a value for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix, which is a sum of a geology array, the DTBB array and the one or more other LWD arrays that are each multiplied by respectively assigned or calculated weights.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for optimized geosteering using real time geological models, which comprises:
a) creating a parameter matrix, which comprises a formation property for each pair of true vertical depth (TVD) coordinates from a geological model and measured depth (MD) coordinates from a predefined well trajectory;
b) initializing the parameter matrix by initializing a value for each parameter entry in the parameter matrix;
c) updating the initialized parameter matrix by replacing the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the parameter matrix with the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for an actual well trajectory;
d) compiling a distance to bed boundary (DTBB) array and one or more other logging while drilling (LWD) arrays using corresponding measurements at the MD coordinates of the actual well trajectory;
e) calculating a value for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix, which is a sum of a geology array, the DTBB array and the one or more other LWD arrays that are each multiplied by one of (i) respectively assigned weights when the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix are not located within stratigraphic boundaries of the DTBB array and the one or more other LWD arrays; and (ii) respectively calculated weights when the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix are located within the stratigraphic boundaries of the DTBB array and the one or more other LWD arrays; and
f) updating the geological model in real time during drilling operations by using a computer processor to replace each initialized value for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix with the respective calculated value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geological model is generated using one or more seismic images illustrating formation surfaces and one or more well logs from an offset well.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initialized value for each parameter entry in the initialized parameter matrix is calculated as a sum of the geology array, another DTBB array and another one or more other LWD arrays that are each multiplied by one of (i) respectively assigned weights when the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix are not located within the stratigraphic boundaries of the another DTBB array and the another one or more other LWD arrays; and (ii) respectively calculated weights when the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix are located within the stratigraphic boundaries of the another DTBB array and the another one or more other LWD arrays.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geology array comprises stratigraphic boundaries and formation properties between the boundaries from the geological model.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the DTBB array comprises stratigraphic boundaries and formation properties between the boundaries from deep measurements of the formation properties.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more other LWD arrays each comprise stratigraphic boundaries and formation properties between the boundaries from shallow measurements of the formation property.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the respectively assigned weights are (1) for the geology array, (0) for the DTBB array and (0) for the one or more other LWD arrays.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a sum of the respectively calculated weights is equal to 1.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for optimized geosteering using real time geological models, the method comprising:
a) creating a parameter matrix, which comprises a formation property for each pair of true vertical depth (TVD) coordinates from a geological model and measured depth (MD) coordinates from a predefined well trajectory;
b) initializing the parameter matrix by initializing a value for each parameter entry in the parameter matrix;
c) updating the initialized parameter matrix by replacing the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the parameter matrix with the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for an actual well trajectory;
d) compiling a distance to bed boundary (DTBB) array and one or more other logging while drilling (LWD) arrays using corresponding measurements at the MD coordinates of the actual well trajectory;
e) calculating a value for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix, which is a sum of a geology array, the DTBB array and the one or more other LWD arrays that are each multiplied by one of (i) respectively assigned weights when the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix are not located within stratigraphic boundaries of the DTBB array and the one or more other LWD arrays; and (ii) respectively calculated weights when the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix are located within the stratigraphic boundaries of the DTBB array and the one or more other LWD arrays; and
f) updating the geological model in real time during drilling operations by replacing each initialized value for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix with the respective calculated value.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the geological model is generated using one or more seismic images illustrating formation surfaces and one or more well logs from an offset well.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the initialized value for each parameter entry in the initialized parameter matrix is calculated as a sum of the geology array, another DTBB array and another one or more other LWD arrays that are each multiplied by one of (i) respectively assigned weights when the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix are not located within the stratigraphic boundaries of the another DTBB array and the another one or more other LWD arrays; and (ii) respectively calculated weights when the TVD coordinates and the MD coordinates for each parameter entry in the updated parameter matrix are located within the stratigraphic boundaries of the another DTBB array and the another one or more other LWD arrays.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the geology array comprises stratigraphic boundaries and formation properties between the boundaries from the geological model.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the DTBB array comprises stratigraphic boundaries and formation properties between the boundaries from deep measurements of the formation properties.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more other LWD arrays each comprise stratigraphic boundaries and formation properties between the boundaries from shallow measurements of the formation property.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the respectively assigned weights are (1) for the geology array, (0) for the DTBB array and (0) for the one or more other LWD arrays.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein a sum of the respectively calculated weights is equal to 1.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Ma Jin
• Song Rencheng
• Wilson Glenn Andrew

Classifications

• E21B47/0025

  generating an image of the borehole wall using down-hole measurements, e.g. acoustic or electric · CPC title

• E21B41/00

  Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 · CPC title

• E21B7/04 Primary

  Directional drilling · CPC title

• E21B44/00 Primary

  Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions · CPC title

• G01V1/282

  Application of seismic models, synthetic seismograms · CPC title