Hydrocarbon Trap Seal Capacity Analysis Method
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for evaluating seal capacity in hydrocarbon traps consider either mechanical or capillary seal capacity separately, without accounting for uncertainties and the interaction between both, which is crucial for accurately predicting total hydrocarbon column height and contacts.
Innovation Solution
A method that estimates probability-weighted distributions for capillary entry pressure and hydraulic fracture pressure, combined with fluid and trap geometry parameters, to determine hydrocarbon column heights, considering both mechanical and capillary seal capacities simultaneously and propagating uncertainties through statistical calculations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If seal capacity is evaluated separately for mechanical or capillary seal without considering both simultaneously, then the evaluation process is simpler, but the prediction accuracy of hydrocarbon column height and contacts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines mechanical seal capacity evaluation and capillary seal capacity evaluation into a unified framework. Both seal mechanisms are assessed simultaneously using integrated probability-weighted distributions that consider their interacting effects on hydrocarbon column height prediction, thereby improving accuracy while managing complexity through systematic integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The evaluation methodology creates a composite assessment model that integrates multiple seal capacity components (mechanical and capillary) into a unified prediction framework. This composite approach allows the system to leverage the strengths of both evaluation methods while accounting for their interactions, resulting in more accurate hydrocarbon column height predictions.
2Device complexity
If deterministic basis is used for seal capacity evaluation with little consideration of uncertainty, then the calculation is simpler, but the reliability of hydrocarbon column height prediction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the seal capacity evaluation from deterministic parameter values to probability-weighted distributions. By representing input parameters (such as capillary entry pressure and fracture pressure) as distributions with associated uncertainties, the methodology propagates these uncertainties through the calculation to produce reliable prediction intervals for hydrocarbon column height, thereby enhancing reliability while managing complexity through systematic uncertainty propagation.
3Measurement precision
If capillary entry pressure is directly measured by mercury injection tests on small rock pieces, then the measurement is more direct, but the representativeness of adjacent seal rocks deteriorates and results are not readily available everywhere
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses fracture pressure measurements and theoretical models as intermediaries to estimate capillary entry pressure for seal rocks. Instead of requiring direct mercury injection tests on every seal rock sample, the methodology employs fracture pressure data (which is more readily available) combined with theoretical relationships to derive capillary entry pressure estimates, thereby improving versatility and applicability while maintaining measurement precision through the intermediary calculation approach.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for more robust predictions of hydrocarbon column heights and contacts by evaluating seal capacity comprehensively, accounting for uncertainties and interactions between mechanical and capillary seal properties, thereby improving the accuracy of hydrocarbon leakage assessments.
Implementation Method 1
capillary seal capacity without considering both simultaneously. Also, seal capillary entry pressure
Implementation Method 2
Buoyant forces support an oil layer on top of the denser ground water, and similarly a gas layer floats on top of the oil layer
Implementation Method 3
escape could result either from fracture of the seal due to hydrocarbon pressure
Data Source
AI summary
Method for making a probabilistic determination of total seal capacity for a hydrocarbon trap, simultaneously considering both capillary entry pressure and mechanical seal capacity, and where capillary entry pressure is estimated by relating it directly to the buoyancy pressure applied by the hydrocarbon column to the top seal. The method thus considers the substantial uncertainty associated with input parameters, which uncertainty limits the utility of such analyses for robust hydrocarbon column height and fluid contact predictions. The method disclosed for estimating seal capillary entry pressure, the requisite input parameter for capillary seal capacity analysis, by inverting trap parameters avoids the need for direct measurement by mercury injection capillary capacity tests on small pieces of rock, which test results often are not available for all desired locations nor are they necessarily representative of adjacent rocks in the seal.