System and process for optimal selection of hydrocarbon well completion type and design

• US 20040122640A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GeoMechanics International, Inc. (Baker Hughes Company), Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: GeoMechanics International, Inc. (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Dusterhoft, Ronald G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,181,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/00 Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells applicable only to water E03B
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/006 Measuring wall stresses in the borehole

Abstract

A process to determine optimal completion type and design prior to drilling of a hydrocarbon producing well utilizing information from hydrocarbon recovery modeling such as reservoir, geo-mechanical, and material modeling over the production life of the well. An embodiment of the process includes obtaining information regarding pore pressure depletion, stress magnitudes and orientations, and strength of rock formation from hydrocarbon recovery modeling to determine optimum well completion design including the selection of a completion type, trajectory, and location. Additionally, the process may also consider probable failure mechanisms and identified completion requirements, and their corresponding effect on completion options. TITLE

Claims

8-1. The process of claim 1 wherein considering the hydrocarbon recovery models comprises determining the probable failure mechanism for the proposed well.

22. Computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a process for selecting well completion design before drilling a proposed well, the process comprising:

considering hydrocarbon recovery models relating to a proposed well; and

determining completion design for desired hydrocarbon recovery over life of the proposed well.

23. The media of claim 22 wherein the hydrocarbon recovery models comprise a geo-mechanical model, a reservoir model, or a material model.

24. The media of claim 22 wherein the hydrocarbon recovery models provide information regarding pore pressure depletion, stress magnitudes and orientations, or strength of rock formation.

25. The media of claim 22 wherein considering the hydrocarbon recovery models comprises determining the effect of pore pressure depletion on well production over the life of the well.

26. The media of claim 25 further comprising identifying completion options based on the determined effect of pore pressure depletion on well production over the life of the well.

27. The media of claim 22 wherein considering the hydrocarbon recovery models comprises determining the probable failure mechanism for the proposed well.

28. The media of claim 27 further comprising identifying completion options based on the determined probable failure mechanism for the proposed well.

29. The media of claim 22 wherein considering the hydrocarbon recovery models comprises determining the effect of identified completion requirements on well completion.

30. The media of claim 29 further comprising identifying completion options based on the determined effect of identified completion requirements.

31. The media of claim 22 further comprising selecting optimum completion design for hydrocarbon recovery over expected life of the proposed well.

32. The media of claim 22 wherein determining completion design comprises selecting a completion type, trajectory, or location.

33. The media of claim 22 further comprising updating information used in the hydrocarbon recovery models.

34. A process for the consideration of hydrocarbon recovery models in the selection of well completion before drilling the well.

35. The process of claim 34 further comprising evaluating the hydrocarbon recovery models based on pore pressure depletion over the life of the well.