Systems and Methods for Subsurface Oil Recovery Optimization

• US 20140006111A1
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Kumar, Amit, Cullick, Alvin Stanley, Saputelli, Luigi, Priyesh, Ranjan, Sheldon, Burt Gorell, Carvajal, Gustavo, Urrutia, Karelis Alejandra, Khan, Hasnain, Nasr, Hatem
• Granted Patent: US 10,100,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/007 Removable steps or ladders, e.g. foldable as access means for vehicle tops B60R3/005
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/003 Footboards
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/00 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 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 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/005 made of elastic material, e.g. partly or completely surrounded by clamping devices comprising packing adapted to sealing by fluid pressure F16L17/04, F16L11/20; hose clips F16L33/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/17 by means of rings, bands or sleeves pressed against the outside surface of the pipe or hose
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/023 for measuring distance between sensor and object G01B7/082 and G01B7/102 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 20/00 Geomodelling in general
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining

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.

Claims

1. A method for long term oil recovery optimization, which comprises:

selecting one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields;

displaying multiple optimization scenarios and corresponding actions for optimization of the one or more selected zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields during an evaluation of a plan for developing a field;

selecting one or more of the optimization scenarios and displaying each corresponding action;

selecting a prediction date for each selected optimization scenario; and

displaying the one or more selected optimization scenarios, the effect of each corresponding action on the one or more selected zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields on the prediction date, and an updated field development plan using a computer system, the updated field development plan being displayed for a field with a respective net present value calculation and projected production parameters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple displayed optimization 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.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the multiple displayed optimization scenarios and corresponding actions are ranked for enhanced proactive optimization.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising running the one or more selected optimization 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 the prediction date.

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

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the display of the one or more selected optimization scenarios and the effect of each corresponding action includes infill drilling and re-drilling of water injection positions.

13. A program carrier device for carrying computer executable instructions for long term oil recovery optimization, the instructions being executable to implement:

selecting one or more zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields;

displaying multiple optimization scenarios and corresponding actions for optimization of the one or more selected zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields during an evaluation of a plan for developing a field;

selecting one or more of the optimization scenarios and displaying each corresponding action;

selecting a prediction date for each selected optimization scenario; and

displaying the one or more selected optimization scenarios, the effect of each corresponding action on the one or more selected zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields on the prediction date, and an updated field development plan, the updated field development plan being displayed for a field with a respective net present value calculation and projected production parameters.

14. The program carrier device of claim 13, further comprising determining if optimization is desired based on the one or more selected optimization scenarios, the effect of each corresponding action on the one or more selected zones, wells, patterns/clusters or fields and the updated field development plan.

15. The program carrier device of claim 14, further comprising selecting one or more desired optimization scenarios from the one or more selected optimization scenarios for implementation.

16. The program carrier device of claim 15, further comprising executing the corresponding action for each desired optimization scenario as a long term optimization response to an undesirable sweep efficiency health indicator.

17. The program carrier device of claim 16, wherein the corresponding action for each desired optimization scenario is remotely executed.

18. The program carrier device of claim 15, further comprising sending an approval for manual implementation of the corresponding action for each desired optimization scenario.

19. The program carrier device of claim 15, further comprising sending a request for the implementation of the corresponding action for each desired optimization scenario with a business case report and recommendation.

20. The program carrier device of claim 13, wherein the multiple displayed optimization 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.

21. The program carrier device of claim 20, wherein the multiple displayed optimization scenarios and corresponding actions are ranked for enhanced proactive optimization.

22. The program carrier device method of claim 13, further comprising running the one or more selected optimization 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 the prediction date.

23. The program carrier device of claim 13, further comprising diagnosing a cause of an undesirable sweep efficiency health indicator for a sweep efficiency health display using streamline numerical calculation to estimate correlation factors and well allocation factors.

24. The program carrier device of claim 13, wherein the display of the one or more selected optimization scenarios and the effect of each corresponding action includes infill drilling and re-drilling of water injection positions.