Systems and methods for optimal positioning of drilling pads

• US 9,091,145 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Colvin, Richard Daniel, Germain, Olivier Roger, Pratt, DeWayne, Woodard, Philip William
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Zakiya W
• Application Number:
  US14/389,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20150060060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/003 adapted to be moved on their substructure, e.g. with skidding means; adapted to drill a plurality of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/30 Specific pattern of wells, e.g. optimising the spacing of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/305 comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/00 Special methods or apparatus for drilling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Systems and methods for optimal positioning of drilling pads for horizontal well field development considering the location and spacing of each horizontal well, boundaries and surface/subsurface hazards.

Claims

1. A method for positioning multiple drilling pads within a predetermined boundary, which comprises:

a) determining a maximum number of rows based on a row spacing and a maximum distance;

b) determining a maximum number of columns based on a column spacing and the maximum distance;

c) determining a seed point location within the predetermined boundary for each row at a starting position and for each column at a starting position, each seed point location belonging to a set of seed point locations;

d) computing a total value for the set of seed point locations using a computer processor;

e) adjusting the starting position in each row by a row increment and the starting position in each column by a column increment;

f) repeating steps c)-e) for a predetermined number of starting positions in each row and a predetermined number of starting positions in each column; and

g) positioning a drilling pad at each location based on a respective seed point location within the set of seed point locations having a best total value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each seed point location is represented by x, y coordinates.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising computing a value for each seed point location within the set of seed point locations.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the total value for the set of seed point locations is represented by a sum of the values for each seed point location at each respective x, y coordinates.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the total value for the set of seed point locations is represented by a sum of the values for each seed point location at each respective y coordinate for each row and each column and at each respective x coordinate for each row.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the highest total value for the set of seed point locations is represented by the highest total value for the set of seed point locations with the same x, y coordinates for each row and for each column.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the highest total value for the set of seed point locations is represented by the highest total value for the set of seed point locations at the same y coordinate for each row and a different x coordinate for each row.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising walking each seed point location within the predetermined boundary to avoid any hazards.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising confirming that each seed point location within the predetermined boundary is clear of any hazards.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising initializing a row and a row increment and initializing a column and a column increment.

11. A program carrier device for carrying computer executable instructions for positioning multiple drilling pads within a predetermined boundary, the instructions being executable to implement:

a) determining a maximum number of rows based on a row spacing and a maximum distance;

b) determining a maximum number of columns based on a column spacing and the maximum distance;

c) determining a seed point location within the predetermined boundary for each row at a starting position and for each column at a starting position, each seed point location belonging to a set of seed point locations;

d) computing a total value for the set of seed point locations;

e) adjusting the starting position in each row by a row increment and the starting position in each column by a column increment;

f) repeating steps c)-e) for a predetermined number of starting positions in each row and a predetermined number of starting positions in each column; and

g) positioning a drilling pad at each location based on a respective seed point location within the set of seed point locations having a best total value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each seed point location is represented by x, y coordinates.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising computing a value for each seed point location within the set of seed point locations.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the total value for the set of seed point locations is represented by a sum of the values for each seed point location each respective x, y coordinates.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the total value for the set of seed point locations is represented by a sum of the values for each seed point location at each respective y coordinate for each row and each column and at each respective x coordinate for each row.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the highest total value for the set of seed point locations is represented by the highest total value for the set of seed point locations with the same x, y coordinates for each row and for each column.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the highest total value for the set of seed point locations is represented by the highest total value for the set of seed point locations at the same y coordinate for each row and a different x coordinate for each row.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising walking each seed point location within the predetermined boundary to avoid any hazards.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising confirming that each seed point location within the predetermined boundary clear of any hazards.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising initializing a row and a row increment and initializing a column and a column increment.