Subsurface Well Correlation via Overlapping Similarity Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of wells to be matched within subsurface representations exponentially increases computational complexity, making existing methods inefficient for correlating multiple wells effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes electronic storage and processors configured to generate similarity maps based on subsurface configurations, allowing for the correlation of wells by overlapping similarity maps to identify matched simulated wells, thereby reducing computational complexity and improving correlation accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of wells to be matched within subsurface representation increases, then the correlation accuracy between wells improves, but the computational complexity of search to match simulated wells increases exponentially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the computational task by creating individual similarity maps for each well separately, then combining these maps through overlay operations. This divides the exponentially complex N-well matching problem into N separate similarity calculations followed by a linear combination step, reducing computational complexity from exponential to linear scale while maintaining correlation accuracy across multiple wells.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional similarity-based matching methods are used for multiple wells, then the method is simple to implement, but the computational time and resources increase exponentially with the number of wells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and storing similarity maps for each well against the subsurface representation before the actual matching process. These pre-computed similarity maps are then efficiently combined through overlay operations, avoiding repeated complex calculations during the matching phase and significantly reducing computational time while maintaining ease of implementation.
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A subsurface representation may define simulated subsurface configuration of a simulated subsurface region. The simulated subsurface region may include simulated wells, and the simulated subsurface configuration may define simulated correlation between the simulated wells. Subsurface configuration of wells may be compared with the simulated subsurface configuration to generate similarity maps for the wells. The similarity maps may be arranged based on spatial arrangements of the wells such that the similarity maps overlap with each other within an overlap area. Locations within the overlap area may correspond to groupings of matched simulated wells. Correlation between the wells may be determined based on the simulated correlation between the matched simulated wells.