Interactively planning a well site

• US 10,584,570 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2014
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Cheng, Yao-Chou, Uribe, Ruben D., Freeman, Doug H., Alba, Christopher A., Sequeira, Jr., Jose J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crabb, Steven W
• Application Number:
  US14/286,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,118 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/00 Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/30 Specific pattern of wells, e.g. optimising the spacing of wells

Abstract

A method and systems for dynamically planning a well site are provided herein. The method includes generating, via a computing system, a three-dimensional model of a hydrocarbon field including a reservoir. The method also includes determining a location for a well site based on the three-dimensional model and determining reservoir targets for the determined location and a well trajectory for each reservoir target. The method also includes adjusting the location for the well site within the three-dimensional model and dynamically adjusting the reservoir targets and the well trajectories based on the dynamic adjustment of the location for the well site. The determination and the dynamic adjustment of the location, the reservoir targets, and the well trajectories for the well site are based on specified constraints. The method further includes determining a design for the well site based on the dynamic adjustment of the location, the reservoir targets, and the well trajectories for the well site.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically planning a well site, comprising:

generating, via a computing system, a three-dimensional model of a hydrocarbon field comprising a reservoir, wherein the three-dimensional model comprises a geologic structure and a topology of the hydrocarbon field;

determining a first location for a well site based on the three-dimensional model;

determining a configuration for a drill center for the well site, wherein the drill center configuration is determined prior to selection of reservoir targets;

determining, based on the determined drill center configuration, a first set of reservoir targets for the determined first location, wherein the number of reservoir targets in the first set of reservoir targets does not exceed the number of slots in the determined drill center configuration;

determining a well trajectory for a well from each slot in the drill center for each of the first set of reservoir targets;

displaying, via a user interface, the three-dimensional model comprising the first well site and first set of reservoir targets and well trajectories for each of the first set of reservoir targets;

allowing a user to interactively adjust, via the user interface, the first location and select a second location for a well site based on the three-dimensional model by moving an indicator over the three-dimensional model, wherein the user interface allows the user to drag the indicator across the three-dimensional model and drop the indicator over a desired well site location on the three-dimensional model and wherein the user interface prevents the user from dragging the indicator over locations that are not suitable for a well site based on the geologic structure and topology of the hydrocarbon field;

dynamically adjusting, via a computing system, the reservoir targets and the well trajectories based on the adjustment of the location for the well site to the second location wherein the dynamically adjusting comprises;

automatically adjusting model parameters in a simulation that involve the reservoir targets, the well trajectories, the drill center configuration, and the location for the well site as the user changes the well site location; and

automatically displaying changes to the reservoir targets and the well trajectories in the three-dimensional model in a real-time fashion as the user changes the well site location via a display device;

determining whether a design for a suitable well site has been designed, wherein the determination is based at least in part on comparing the first well site location and corresponding well trajectories to the second well site location and corresponding well trajectories;

evaluating the design for the suitable well site, wherein the evaluating comprises identifying one or more additional reservoir targets and determining whether one or more of the well trajectories in the design for the suitable well site can be horizontally extended to reach the one or more additional reservoir targets;

displaying the suitable well site, the reservoir targets, and the well trajectories of the design; and

causing one or more wells to be drilled in the hydrocarbon field based on the design for the suitable well site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically adjusting the reservoir targets and the well trajectories for the well site based on the adjustment of the location for the well site to the second location comprises satisfying anti-collision constraints relating to existing well sites.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically adjusting the reservoir targets and the well trajectories for the well site based on the adjustment of the location for the well site to the second location comprises satisfying constraints relating to a predefined maximum horizontal distance between the location for the well site and each reservoir target.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising automatically determining or automatically adjusting the reservoir targets and the well trajectories for the well site via the computing system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface disallows the indicator from moving over one or more locations represented by the three-dimensional model based on anti-collision constraints relating to existing well sites in the hydrocarbon field.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface disallows the indicator from moving over one or more locations represented by the three-dimensional model based on constraints relating to a predefined maximum horizontal distance between the location for the well site and each reservoir target.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the design for the suitable well site comprises determining which of the first well site location and corresponding well trajectories and the second well site location and corresponding well trajectories is expected to provide a higher amount of hydrocarbons recovery from the reservoir at a lowest cost.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator of the user interface changes colors or bounces off of a location when the user attempts to drag the indicator over a location that is not suitable for a well site.