Automated field development planning of well and drainage locations
First Claim
1. A method of calculating a development plan for at least a portion of a field containing a subterranean resource, comprising the steps of:
- identifying a population including a plurality of targets for draining a reservoir in the field from a geological model;
reducing the population of targets by selecting a first subset of the targets with a first analysis tool, wherein said first analysis tool utilizes a first set of algorithms for selection of a first subset of targets and wherein the first subset of the targets comprises a population of reservoir trajectory sets;
reducing the first subset of targets by selecting a second subset of the targets with a second analysis tool, the second tool utilizing a second set of algorithms as compared to the first analysis tool and wherein the second subset of the targets comprises a population of overburden trajectory sets;
calculating a Field Development Plan (FDP) from the second subset of targets; and
presenting the FDP in tangible form.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hybrid evolutionary algorithm (“HEA”) technique is described for automatically calculating well and drainage locations in a field. The technique includes planning a set of wells on a static reservoir model using an automated well planner tool that designs realistic wells that satisfy drilling and construction constraints. A subset of these locations is then selected based on dynamic flow simulation using a cost function that maximizes recovery or economic benefit. In particular, a large population of candidate targets, drain holes and trajectories is initially created using fast calculation analysis tools of cost and value, and as the workflow proceeds, the population size is reduced in each successive operation, thereby facilitating use of increasingly sophisticated calculation analysis tools for economic valuation of the reservoir while reducing overall time required to obtain the result. In the final operation, only a small number of full reservoir simulations are required for the most promising FDPs.
39 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of calculating a development plan for at least a portion of a field containing a subterranean resource, comprising the steps of:
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identifying a population including a plurality of targets for draining a reservoir in the field from a geological model; reducing the population of targets by selecting a first subset of the targets with a first analysis tool, wherein said first analysis tool utilizes a first set of algorithms for selection of a first subset of targets and wherein the first subset of the targets comprises a population of reservoir trajectory sets; reducing the first subset of targets by selecting a second subset of the targets with a second analysis tool, the second tool utilizing a second set of algorithms as compared to the first analysis tool and wherein the second subset of the targets comprises a population of overburden trajectory sets; calculating a Field Development Plan (FDP) from the second subset of targets; and presenting the FDP in tangible form. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for calculating a development plan for at least a portion of a field containing a subterranean resource, comprising:
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a routine which identifies a population including a plurality of targets for draining a reservoir in the field from a geological model; a routine which reduces the population of targets by selecting a first subset of the targets with a first analysis tool wherein said first analysis tool utilizes a first set of algorithms for selection of a first subset of targets and wherein the first subset of the targets comprises a population of reservoir trajectory sets; a routine which reduces the first subset by selecting a second subset of the targets with a second analysis tool, the second tool utilizing a second set of algorithms as compared to the first analysis tool and wherein the second subset of the targets comprises a population of overburden trajectory sets; a routine which calculates a Field Development Plan (FDP) from the second subset of targets; and a routine which presents the FDP in tangible form. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification