Streamline Visualization for Heterogeneous Porous Media
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for visualizing fluid flow in heterogeneous porous media in hydrocarbon reservoirs using streamlines are limited, as they only provide instantaneous data, making it difficult to analyze fluid flow changes over multiple calculation steps and are impractical for fields with a large number of wells, leading to loss of hydrodynamic connectivity information.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for visualizing fluid flow direction in hydrocarbon reservoirs based on streamlines, which involves determining streamlines using particle tracing, building a graph of fluid flows between wells, and using interpolation techniques such as Bezier curves to construct accurate models of fluid flow direction and volume, allowing for analysis of both instantaneous and accumulated fluid flows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If streamlines are used to visualize fluid flow direction, then the actual fluid flow direction between wells can be accurately defined, but the number of streamlines becomes too large for fields with many wells, making visual analysis almost impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information from streamline data - specifically the start and end points of streamlines - to create simplified flow path representations. This extraction process removes redundant visual elements while preserving the core hydrodynamic connectivity information, enabling visual analysis in fields with large numbers of wells
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of visualizing all streamlines directly (which creates overwhelming complexity), the patent inverts the approach by using streamline endpoints to define simplified flow paths between wells. This inversion transforms the visualization from a detailed particle-level representation to a well-level connectivity representation that is visually manageable
2Device complexity
If the number of streamlines is reduced to make visual analysis possible, then visualization becomes manageable, but information on hydrodynamic connectivity of wells with low fluid flow volume is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple streamlines that share the same start and end wells into single flow path representations. By combining streamline data at the well level rather than preserving individual streamline trajectories, the method maintains hydrodynamic connectivity information for all well pairs while keeping the visualization complexity manageable
Solution Approach 2:
The flow path representation serves multiple functions simultaneously: it shows fluid flow direction, quantifies fluid flow volume, and preserves hydrodynamic connectivity information. This multi-functionality allows comprehensive analysis without requiring separate visualizations for each type of information
3Measurement precision
If streamlines are used for visualization, then instantaneous fluid flow direction is shown, but accumulated fluid flow information over multiple calculation steps cannot be determined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary aggregation of streamline data across multiple calculation steps before visualization. By accumulating flow path and flow volume data over time intervals, the method prepares integrated information that reflects both instantaneous and cumulative fluid flow characteristics, enabling analysis of waterflooding effectiveness over the entire field development period
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for visualization of a direction of a fluid flow in heterogeneous porous medium in hydrocarbon reservoirs based on the streamlines. The method allows for constructing the detailed and accurate model of a direction and a volume of the fluids being transferred between the wells and can be used for analysis of waterflooding and hydrodynamic connectivity between the wells used in oil and gas reservoirs with a large number of wells. The visualization method can be used both for analysis of instantaneous fluid flows at the current calculation step of hydrodynamic simulator and for analysis of fluid flows accumulated over several calculation steps.