Expert system for selecting fit-for-purpose technologies and wells for reservoir saturation monitoring

• US 8,265,874 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Ma, Shouxiang M, Al-Hajari, Abdrabrasool A, Husain, Kamran B
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US12/764,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20110264372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 702/6, 702/7, 702/8, 166/250.01
• US Class Current: 702/6
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a machine, program product, and computer-implemented method to select a fit-for-purpose tool for reservoir saturation monitoring. A computer stores a plurality of characteristics for a plurality of well-logging tools, including open hole and closed hole resistivity, pulse-neutron spectral carbon-oxygen, and pulse-neutron capture technologies, as well as a predetermined ranking of tools within a technology. The computer obtains user inputs associated with conditions of a candidate well, e.g., a minimum tubing restriction, whether the wellbore is open or cased, and whether the well is a wet producer. Inputs can also include an objective of the reservoir saturation monitoring, such as, evaluating sweep efficiency or identifying remaining pay for sidetrack or perforation. The computer compares the characteristics for the well-logging tools to the user inputs and determines a well-logging tool selection responsive to the comparison to thereby recommend a course of action for the candidate well.

Claims

1. A machine to select a fit-for-purpose tool for reservoir saturation monitoring, the machine comprising:

a processor positioned to determine a well-logging tool selection responsive to a plurality of characteristics of a well-logging tool for a plurality of well-logging tools from a plurality of vendors and responsive to conditions for a candidate well, the characteristics of a well-logging tool including an outer diameter of the tool and a well-logging technology utilized by the tool;

an input/output interface for receiving and displaying data between the processor and a user; and

a memory having stored therein a computer program product, stored on a tangible and non-transitory computer memory media, operable on the processor, the computer program product comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a well-logging tool selection by performing the operations of;

storing the plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools to thereby enable categorization of the well-logging tools from the plurality of vendors, the categorization being according to the plurality of characteristics,

receiving by the processor a first one or more inputs from the user, each of the one or more inputs associated with a condition of a candidate well to thereby avoid irrelevant input gathering,

communicating with the user for a second one or more inputs associated with the conditions of the candidate well by the processor through the input/output interface responsive to the first one or more inputs so that additional relevant inputs are received by the processor,

comparing by the processor the stored plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools to the first and second one or more inputs associated with conditions of the candidate well, and

determining a well-logging tool selection by the processor responsive to the comparison of the stored plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools to the first and second one or more inputs to select a fit-for-purpose tool for reservoir saturation monitoring so that the processor creates for the user a recommendation for reservoir saturation monitoring of the candidate well.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the stored plurality of characteristics of the plurality of well-logging tools includes each of the following technologies:

carbon-oxygen, resistivity, and pulse-neutron capture.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the first and second one or more inputs include:

a minimum tubing restriction of the candidate well;

whether a wellbore of the candidate well is open or cased;

whether the candidate well is a wet producer; and

whether the candidate well is a key well in which well-logging cost is a secondary consideration, so that the determination of the well-logging tool selection by the processor eliminates well-logging tools responsive to mechanical fit, ill-suited technology for the conditions of the candidate well, and cost considerations.

4. The machine of claim 3, wherein the operation of determining a well-logging tool selection by the processor responsive to the comparison of the stored plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools to the first and second one or more inputs so that the processor creates for the user a recommendation for reservoir saturation monitoring of the candidate well further includes:

eliminating from the selection any of the plurality of well-logging tools when an outer diameter of the tool is greater than or equal to a minimum tubing restriction of the candidate well so that the processor selects well-logging tools responsive to a mechanical fit with the candidate well; and

selecting a single well-logging tool for a particular technology responsive to a predetermined ranking to thereby avoid duplication of well-logging tools with respect to the particular technology.

5. The machine of claim 1, wherein the first and second one or more inputs include an objective of the reservoir saturation monitoring so that the processor selects well-logging tools responsive to the objective of the reservoir saturation monitoring for the candidate well;

and wherein the objective includes one or more of the following;

evaluating sweep efficiency; and

identifying remaining pay for sidetrack or perforation.

6. The machine of claim 1, wherein the operations further include displaying to the user on a display screen of the machine a representation of a mechanical fit of a well-logging tool and a candidate well responsive to the stored plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools and the first and second one or more inputs associated with the candidate well.

7. The machine of claim 1, wherein the determined well-logging tool selection includes one or more of the following:

a consultation with a specialized petrophysicist; and

a combination of more than one tools of the plurality of well-logging tools.

8. A computer program product, stored on a tangible and non-transitory computer memory media, operable on a computer, the computer program product comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to determine a well-logging tool selection by performing the operations of:

storing in a database in tangible and non-transitory computer memory media a plurality of characteristics of a well-logging tool for a plurality of well-logging tools from a plurality of vendors, the characteristics of a well-logging tool including an outer diameter of the tool and a well-logging technology utilized by the tool, to thereby enable categorization of the well-logging tools from the plurality of vendors, the categorization being according to the plurality of characteristics;

obtaining from a user a plurality of inputs associated with conditions of a candidate well so that the computer can select amongst the plurality of well-logging tools according to the categorization of the well-logging tools responsively to the conditions of the candidate well;

comparing the stored plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools to the plurality of inputs associated with conditions of the candidate well; and

determining a well-logging tool selection responsive to the comparison of the stored plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools to the plurality of inputs associated with conditions of the candidate well to select a fit-for-purpose tool for reservoir saturation monitoring so that the computer creates for the user a recommendation for reservoir saturation monitoring of the candidate well.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the stored plurality of characteristics of the plurality of well-logging tools includes each of the following technologies:

carbon-oxygen, resistivity, and pulse-neutron capture; and

wherein the plurality of inputs associated with conditions of the candidate well include each of;

a minimum tubing restriction of the candidate well, whether a borehole of the candidate well is open or cased, whether the candidate well is a wet producer, whether the candidate well is a key well in which well-logging cost is a secondary consideration, and an objective of the reservoir saturation monitoring for the candidate well, so that the determination of the well-logging tool selection by the computer eliminates well-logging tools responsive to mechanical fit, ill-suited technology for the conditions of the candidate well, cost considerations, and ill-suited technology for the objective of the reservoir saturation monitoring for the candidate well.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the operation of determining a well-logging tool selection responsive to the comparison of the stored plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools to the first and second one or more inputs so that the computer creates for the user a recommendation for reservoir saturation monitoring of the candidate well further includes:

eliminating from the selection any of the plurality of well-logging tools when an outer diameter of the tool is greater than or equal to a minimum tubing restriction of the candidate well; and

selecting a single well-logging tool for a particular technology responsive to a predetermined ranking to thereby avoid duplication of well-logging tools with respect to the particular technology.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the operation of obtaining from a user the plurality of inputs associated with conditions of the candidate well further includes:

receiving a first portion of the plurality inputs from the user to thereby avoid irrelevant input gathering; and

prompting the user for a second portion of the plurality of inputs responsive to the first portion of the plurality inputs so that additional relevant inputs are obtained.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the determined well-logging tool selection includes one or more of the following:

a consultation with a specialized petrophysicist; and

a combination of more than one tools of the plurality of well-logging tools.

13. A computer-implemented method to select a fit-for-purpose tool for reservoir saturation monitoring, the computer-implemented method comprising:

storing by a computer in a database in tangible and non-transitory computer memory a plurality of characteristics of a well-logging tool for a plurality of well-logging tools from a plurality of vendors, the characteristics of a well-logging tool including an outer diameter of the tool and a well-logging technology utilized by the tool, to thereby enable categorization of the well-logging tools from the plurality of vendors, the categorization being according to the plurality of characteristics;

obtaining from a user by the computer in a first computer process a plurality of inputs associated with conditions of a candidate well so that the computer can select amongst the plurality of well-logging tools according to the categorization of the well-logging tools responsively to the conditions of the candidate well;

comparing by the computer in a second computer process the stored plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools to the plurality of inputs associated with conditions of the candidate well from the first computer process; and

determining a well-logging tool selection by the computer responsive to the comparison of the stored plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools to the plurality of inputs associated with conditions of the candidate well from the first computer process to select a fit-for-purpose tool for reservoir saturation monitoring so that the computer creates for the user a recommendation for reservoir saturation monitoring of the candidate well.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the stored plurality of characteristics of the plurality of well-logging tools includes each of the following technologies:

carbon-oxygen, resistivity, and pulse-neutron capture.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the step of obtaining from a user by the computer in a first computer process a plurality of inputs associated with conditions of a candidate well further includes:

receiving a first portion of the plurality inputs from the user to thereby avoid irrelevant input gathering; and

prompting the user for a second portion of the plurality of inputs responsive to the first portion of the plurality inputs so that additional relevant inputs are obtained.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of inputs associated with conditions of the candidate well include each of:

a minimum tubing restriction of the candidate well;

whether a borehole of the candidate well is open or cased;

whether the candidate well is a wet producer; and

whether the candidate well is a key well in which well-logging cost is a secondary consideration, so that the determination of the well-logging tool selection by the computer eliminates well-logging tools responsive to mechanical fit, ill-suited technology for the conditions of the candidate well, and cost considerations.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the step of determining a well-logging tool selection by the computer responsive to the comparison of the stored plurality of characteristics for the plurality of well-logging tools to the plurality of inputs associated with conditions of the candidate well from the first computer process so that the computer creates for the user a recommendation for reservoir saturation monitoring of the candidate well further includes:

eliminating from the selection any of the plurality of well-logging tools when an outer diameter of the tool is greater than or equal to a minimum tubing restriction of the candidate well so that the computer selects well-logging tools responsive to a mechanical fit with the candidate well; and

selecting a single well-logging tool for a particular technology responsive to a predetermined ranking to thereby avoid duplication of well-logging tools with respect to the particular technology.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of inputs associated with conditions of a candidate well include an objective of the reservoir saturation monitoring for the candidate well so that the computer selects well-logging tools responsive to the objective of the reservoir saturation monitoring for the candidate well.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the objective of the reservoir saturation monitoring for the candidate well includes one or more of the following:

evaluating sweep efficiency; and

identifying remaining pay for sidetrack or perforation.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the determined well-logging tool selection includes one or more of the following:

a consultation with a specialized petrophysicist; and

a combination of more than one tools of the plurality of well-logging tools.