Reservoir Fluid Characterization via Nuclear Parameter Interpolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the composition of hydrocarbon mixtures in reservoirs are limited by their inability to accurately account for intermolecular interactions, leading to inconsistencies in log parameters and underdetermined hydrocarbon composition.
Innovation Solution
A method involving multiphysics inversion and multivariate interpolation using nuclear parameter values, which accounts for intermolecular interactions in the fluid mixture to determine the composition of hydrocarbon mixtures, employing tools like the SNUPAR framework and EoS-based computations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional methods are used to determine hydrocarbon composition, then the process is simpler, but the accuracy and consistency of composition estimation deteriorates due to inability to account for intermolecular interactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the composition estimation problem from direct concentration measurement to nuclear parameter space (electron density, hydrogen index, thermal neutron capture cross-section). By inverting measurements to nuclear parameters and then interpolating to composition, the method accounts for intermolecular interactions inherently embedded in nuclear measurements, resolving the accuracy-complexity contradiction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces nuclear parameters as an intermediary between raw measurements and final composition estimation. The multivariate interpolation acts as a mediator that maps nuclear parameter values to hydrocarbon composition while accounting for intermolecular interactions, avoiding direct complex modeling of molecular behavior
2Reliability
If nuclear measurements are used with multiphysics inversion, then the reliability of log parameters improves, but the computational demands increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes and stores the relationships between nuclear parameters and hydrocarbon composition through multivariate interpolation before actual composition estimation is needed. This preliminary action creates a lookup framework that reduces real-time computational energy demands while maintaining high reliability through consistent use of nuclear parameter relationships
3Measurement precision
If intermolecular interactions are accounted for in the analysis, then the composition determination accuracy improves, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct mechanical/chemical measurement of intermolecular interactions with nuclear physics-based measurements. By using neutron and gamma ray interactions with atomic nuclei rather than direct molecular interaction measurements, the method achieves high composition accuracy without the complexity of directly detecting intermolecular forces
Data Source
AI summary
A method can include receiving measurements of a fluid mixture where the measurements are acquired by at least one downhole tool; performing a multiphysics inversion of the measurements to generate nuclear parameter values for the fluid mixture; performing a multivariate interpolation using the generated nuclear parameter values that accounts for intermolecular interactions in the fluid mixture; and determining a composition of the fluid mixture based on the multivariate interpolation.