Discrete Fracture Network Analysis for Hydrocarbon Production

Solution Overview

Problem

The hydrocarbon production industry faces high costs due to inefficient use of production resources, particularly in formations requiring hydraulic fracturing, where accurate knowledge of formation properties is lacking, leading to suboptimal extraction methods.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that compute hydrocarbon production rates by analyzing a discrete fracture network (DFN) using a processor, incorporating information on fracture locations, orientations, and apertures, to estimate average distances, velocities, and characteristic times, providing a range of production rates and graphical representations to inform extraction decisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If discrete fracture network calculations are performed to determine formation properties, then measurement precision is improved, but computing time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformation properties accuracyVSAvoidcomputing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential statistical parameters (mean and standard deviation of fracture distances) from the complete discrete fracture network model. By taking out only the critical information needed for production rate estimation rather than performing full DFN calculations, the method achieves accurate formation property determination while dramatically reducing computing time and complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simplified statistical representation (copy) of the complex discrete fracture network. Instead of modeling every individual fracture, the method uses statistical copies characterized by mean distance and standard deviation, which capture the essential flow behavior while enabling rapid computation for production forecasting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If discrete fracture network calculations are performed to determine formation properties, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformation properties accuracyVSAvoidcomputational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential statistical parameters (mean and standard deviation of fracture distances) from the complete discrete fracture network model. By taking out only the critical information needed for production rate estimation rather than performing full DFN calculations, the method achieves accurate formation property determination while dramatically reducing computing time and complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the computational parameters from detailed geometric fracture models to statistical parameters (mean and standard deviation). This parameter transformation simplifies the computational complexity while preserving the essential information needed for accurate production rate prediction, making the system more efficient and easier to implement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If statistical methods are used to estimate production rates, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomputation efficiencyVSAvoidproduction rate accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes detailed mechanical fracture network modeling with statistical methods. By replacing complex geometric calculations with statistical analysis of fracture distance distributions, the method achieves high computational efficiency while maintaining sufficient accuracy for production decision-making through proper statistical characterization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the computational parameters from detailed geometric fracture models to statistical parameters (mean and standard deviation). This parameter transformation simplifies the computational complexity while preserving the essential information needed for accurate production rate prediction, making the system more efficient and easier to implement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10267132B2Eliminating discrete fracture network calculations by rigorous mathematics

Publication Date: 2019.04.23 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

A method for computing a production rate of hydrocarbons from an earth formation includes: obtaining information about a discrete fraction network relating to locations, orientations and apertures of fractures; computing an average distance of the fractures to a wellbore penetrating the formation and a standard deviation of the distances; computing an average velocity of fluid from each of the fractures to the wellbore and a standard deviation of the velocities; computing a characteristic time representing a time for fluid to flow from each fracture to the wellbore and a standard deviation of the characteristic times; computing a range of hydrocarbon production rates using the characteristic time and the standard deviation of the characteristic times to provide the range of hydrocarbon production rates as a function of standard deviation values; and providing a graph of the range of hydrocarbon production rates as a function of standard deviation values.