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

• US 7,181,380 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• 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), Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Moos, Daniel, Dusterhoft, Ronald G., Brudy, Martin, Ritter, Donald, Zoback, Mark David
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US10/324,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20040122640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 703/10, 702 11- 14, 166/250.07, 166/250.1, 166/245, 166/252.1
• 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.

Claims

1. A process for selecting well completion design before drilling a proposed well comprising:

considering hydrocarbon recovery models relating to a proposed well;

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

storing the completion design in a computer readable medium;

wherein considering the hydrocarbon recovery models comprises determining the effect of pore pressure depletion on well production over the life of the well.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbon recovery models comprise a geo-mechanical model.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbon recovery models comprise a reservoir model.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbon recovery models comprise a material model.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising considering the impact on well completion given the determined effect of pore pressure depletion on well production over the life of the well.

6. The process of claim 5 further comprising identifying completion options based on the determined effect of pore pressure depletion on well production over the life of the well.

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

8. The process of claim 7 further comprising considering the effect of the determined probable failure mechanism on well production.

9. The process of claim 8 further comprising identifying completion options based on the determined probable failure mechanism for the proposed well.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein considering the hydrocarbon recovery models comprises identifying completion requirements.

11. The process of claim 10 further comprising determining the effect of identified completion requirements on well completion.

12. The process of claim 11 further comprising identifying completion options based on the determined effect of identified completion requirements.

13. The process of claim 1 further comprising selecting optimum completion design for hydrocarbon recovery over the expected life of the proposed well.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein determining completion design comprises selecting a completion type.

15. The process of claim 1 wherein determining completion design comprises selecting a completion trajectory.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein determining completion design comprises selecting a completion location.

17. The process of claim 1 further comprising drilling and completing the well based on determination of completion design.

18. The process of claim 17 further comprising updating information used in the hydrocarbon recovery models based on data obtained during drilling and completion of the well.

19. The process of claim 18 further comprising repeating the process for each new proposed well.

20. A process for selecting well completion design before drilling a proposed well comprising:

considering hydrocarbon recovery models relating to a proposed well;

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

storing the completion design in a computer readable medium;

wherein considering the hydrocarbon recovery models comprises determining the effect of pore pressure depletion on the hydrocarbon recovery models and the corresponding effect on predicted well production.

21. A process for selecting well completion design before drilling a proposed well comprising:

considering hydrocarbon recovery models relating to a proposed well;

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

storing the completion design in a computer readable medium;

wherein the hydrocarbon recovery models provide information regarding pore pressure depletion, stress magnitudes and orientations, and strength of rock formation.

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;

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

storing the completion design in a computer readable medium;

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

23. 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;

determining completion design for desired hydrocarbon reconvey over the life of the proposed well; and

storing the completion design in a computer readable medium;

wherein considering the hydrocarbon recovery models comprises determining the effect of pore pressure depletion on well production over the life of the well.

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

25. The media of claim 23 further comprising identifying completion options based on the determined effect of pore pressure depletion on well production over the life of the well.

26. The media of claim 23 wherein considering the hydrocarbon recovery models comprises determining the probable failure mechanism for the proposed well.

27. The media of claim 26 further comprising identifying completion options based on the determined probable failure mechanism for the proposed well.

28. The media of claim 23 wherein considering the hydrocarbon recovery models comprises determining the effect of identified completion requirements on well completion.

29. The media of claim 28 further comprising identifying completion options based on the determined effect of identified completion requirements.

30. The media of claim 23 further comprising selecting optimum completion design for hydrocarbon recovery over the expected life of the proposed well.

31. The media of claim 23 wherein determining completion design comprises selecting a completion type, trajectory, or location.

32. The media of claim 23 further comprising updating information used in the hydrocarbon recovery models.

33. A process for the consideration of hydrocarbon recovery models in the selection of well completion before drilling the well comprising evaluating the hydrocarbon recovery models based on pore pressure depletion over the life of the well, and storing the hydrocarbon recovery models in a computer readable medium.