Horizontal well design for field with naturally fractured reservoir

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9890616-B2
Application number	US-201515118854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2015
Priority date	Mar 12, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for designing a horizontal well in a hydrocarbon field having naturally fractured reservoir integrates workflows from multiple oilfield related disciplines, including a geophysics workflow, geomechanics workflow, and completion and production workflow to achieve an a dynamic and integrated solution.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-based system for designing a horizontal oil well, comprising:
a central processing unit mounted within the computer-based system;
a display electrically connected to the central processing unit; and
a storage device in data communication with the central processing unit, the storage device storing one or more applications thereon for integrating a plurality of workflows to design a horizontal well in a hydrocarbon field with a naturally fractured hydrocarbon reservoir, the workflows comprising a geophysics workflow, a geomechanics workflow, and a completion and production workflow;
the storage device further storing one or more integration rules for integrating the plurality of workflows, each integration rule causing the central processing unit to perform or omit a predefined action, respectively, in a given one of the workflows if a design parameter derived from a different one of the workflows satisfies or fails to satisfy a predetermined criterion.

2. The computer-based system of claim 1 , wherein the geophysics workflow comprises:
a review of geological and structural field information;
3D visualization of maximum curvature attribute for producing wells in a hydrocarbon field with naturally fractured reservoir;
geological and production information integration for qualitative calibration of the maximum curvature attribute;
3D visualization of horizontal drilling proposal for the maximum curvature attribute and determination of optimal areas with higher fracture density along flow paths; and
estimation of points (fracture zones) along the flow path of the horizontal wells, and proposal and recommendations on possible changes in the trajectories.

3. The computer-based system of claim 1 , wherein the geomechanics workflow comprises:
data gathering, including gathering of logs, reports, maps, and field tests;
analysis of operational experience, including non-productive time (NPT) analysis and drilling learning curve analysis;
geomechanics modeling, including modeling of geopressure, mechanical rock properties, and in-situ stress; and
wellbore collapse study, including analytical collapse pressure analysis for breakout at 0°, 60°, and 90°.

4. The computer-based system of claim 1 , wherein the completion and production workflow comprises:
information gathering;
developing prototype model;
developing a well type design;
developing a well completion design;
developing well type and completion sensitivities;
performing well completion optimization; and
generating final completion proposal.

5. A computer-based method for designing a horizontal oil well, comprising:
integrating a plurality of workflows using a central processing unit to design a horizontal well in a hydrocarbon field with a naturally fractured hydrocarbon reservoir, such integrating comprising:
performing a geophysics workflow using the central processing unit;
performing a geomechanics workflow using the central processing unit; and
performing a completion and production workflow using the central processing unit; and
performing or omitting a predefined action, respectively, in a given one of the workflows using the central processing unit if a design parameter derived from a different one of the workflows satisfies or fails to satisfy a predetermined criterion.

6. The computer-based method of claim 5 , wherein the geophysics workflow comprises:
a review of geological and structural field information;
3D visualization of maximum curvature attribute for producing wells in a hydrocarbon field with naturally fractured reservoir;
geological and production information integration for qualitative calibration of the maximum curvature attribute;
3D visualization of horizontal drilling proposal for the maximum curvature attribute and determination of optimal areas with higher fracture density along flow paths; and
estimation of points (fracture zones) along the flow path of the horizontal wells, and proposal and recommendations on possible changes in the trajectories.

7. The computer-based method of claim 5 , wherein the geomechanics workflow comprises:
data gathering, including gathering of logs, reports, maps, and field tests;
analysis of operational experience, including non-productive time (NPT) analysis and drilling learning curve analysis;
geomechanics modeling, including modeling of geopressure, mechanical rock properties, and in-situ stress; and
wellbore collapse study, including analytical collapse pressure analysis for breakout at 0°, 60°, and 90°.

8. The computer-based method of claim 5 , wherein the completion and production workflow comprises:
information gathering;
developing prototype model;
developing a well type design;
developing a well completion design;
developing well type and completion sensitivities;
performing well completion optimization; and
generating final completion proposal.

9. The computer-based system of claim 1 , wherein the storage device stores a plurality of design parameters for each one of the workflows in a database, each design parameter having a data type and a data value associated therewith, and wherein the database maps at least one design parameter for the geophysics workflow to at least one design parameter for the geomechanics workflow, at least one design parameter for the geomechanics workflow to at least one design parameter for the completion and production workflow, and at least one design parameter for the completion and production workflow to at least one design parameter for an integrated solution for designing the horizontal oil well.

10. The computer-based method of claim 5 , wherein integrating further comprises using a storage device to store a plurality of design parameters for each one of the workflows in a database, each design parameter having a data type and a data value associated therewith, and wherein the database maps at least one design parameter for the geophysics workflow to at least one design parameter for the geomechanics workflow, at least one design parameter for the geomechanics workflow to at least one design parameter for the completion and production workflow, and at least one design parameter for the completion and production workflow to at least one design parameter for an integrated solution for designing the horizontal oil well.

Assignees

• Landmark Graphics Corp

Inventors

• Pabon Luis A
• Revilla Daniel A
• Sanchez Libertad

Classifications

• G06F30/00

  Computer-aided design [CAD] · CPC title

• G06F9/455

  Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines · CPC title

• E21B43/305 Primary

  comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well · CPC title

• E21B44/00

  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

• E21B41/0092 Primary

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic