Automated Well Placement in Geocellular Models

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Manual determination of well production zone placements in oil reservoirs is inefficient and often relies on outdated models, leading to suboptimal economic evaluations due to the complexity of geocellular models and frequent updates.

Innovation Solution

An automated system and method for determining suitable well production zone placements using a computer-based approach, creating a three-dimensional geocellular model, determining map-view layouts, and deriving three-dimensional arrangements that comply with specified parameters, including potential vertical positions, to ensure accurate and up-to-date well placements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual determination of well placements is used, then flexibility in placement decisions is maintained, but the process becomes prohibitively time-consuming and relies on outdated geocellular models

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanual placement flexibilityVSAvoidtime for determination and re-determination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of well placement determination with an automated computer-based system. The computer automatically determines well placements by processing current geocellular models, eliminating the time-consuming manual review process while maintaining placement quality through algorithmic optimization based on reservoir characteristics and constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables the geocellular model to effectively determine its own optimal well placements through automated computational processes. The computer-based system self-evaluates the model data and generates placement recommendations without requiring continuous manual intervention, allowing the process to serve itself through automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Device complexity

If random or blindly-generated well placements are used, then the process is simplified, but the results are poor and violate placement constraints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplacement determination complexityVSAvoidplacement constraint compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The automated system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the computer evaluates potential well placements against established constraints and reservoir model data. The system provides feedback on constraint compliance and placement quality, automatically adjusting and refining placements to ensure they meet all requirements while optimizing reservoir evaluation effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary evaluation of placement options against constraints before final determination. The computer pre-assesses candidate placements based on geocellular model characteristics and constraint requirements, filtering out non-compliant options before they are considered for implementation, thereby ensuring reliability from the outset.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If frequent re-analysis of well placements is performed to account for updated geocellular models, then accuracy is improved, but the computational burden becomes prohibitive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewell placement accuracyVSAvoidcomputational energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial re-analysis by focusing computational resources on evaluating only the specific changes in the geocellular model that affect well placement decisions. Rather than performing complete re-analysis of all parameters, the computer identifies and processes only the relevant updates, reducing computational energy consumption while maintaining placement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10221659B2Automated well placement for reservoir evaluation

Publication Date: 2019.03.05 CHEVRON USA INC

AI summary

Automated systems and methods provide a systematic determination of suitable placements for well production zones that comply with specified placement constraints while accounting for information in the geocellular model. One computer-based well placement method embodiment includes: creating a three-dimensional geocellular model of a subsurface region including a reservoir; determining a map-view layout of well candidate zones that satisfies a set of layout parameters; deriving a three-dimensional arrangement of well production zones by testing each well candidate zone's potential vertical positions against a set of arrangement parameters; and storing the three-dimensional arrangement of well production zones on a non-transient information storage medium for use in evaluating production from the reservoir. Where the geocellular model has cell layers that conform to stratigraphic surfaces, the method may further include determining potential vertical positions for each well candidate zone by projecting the well candidate zones from the map-view layout onto layer-centered surfaces.