Sweep Pattern Controller for Balanced Hydrocarbon Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hydrocarbon extraction systems face inefficiencies in resource recovery due to insufficient reservoir pressure, leading to uneven sweep patterns and production rates across wells, which can be exacerbated in enhanced oil recovery methods.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising production and injector wells connected to a sweep pattern controller that adjusts fluid injection pressure and flow rates to establish a balanced sweep pattern, ensuring uniform resource extraction across all production wells by analyzing input data from both well types and simulating adjustments to achieve optimal extraction rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If fluid injection is increased to improve hydrocarbon recovery, then resource recovery efficiency is improved, but sweep pattern uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydrocarbon recovery efficiencyVSAvoidsweep pattern uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different injection rates to different injector wells based on their individual performance and local formation characteristics. The controller monitors production from each production well and adjusts injection rates at specific injector wells to create locally optimized sweep patterns, rather than applying a uniform injection strategy across all wells.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The injection rates are dynamically adjusted over time based on real-time monitoring of production data. The controller continuously receives production data from production wells and modifies injection rates at injector wells to maintain optimal sweep patterns as reservoir conditions change during the enhanced oil recovery process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If injection rates are increased to maintain production rates, then production consistency is improved, but resource extraction uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction consistencyVSAvoidresource extraction uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a closed-loop control mechanism where production data from each production well is continuously monitored and fed back to the controller. The controller uses this feedback to adjust injection rates at injector wells, creating a self-regulating system that maintains production consistency while optimizing resource extraction uniformity through continuous adaptation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes injection rate parameters dynamically based on monitored production performance. Rather than maintaining fixed injection rates, the controller adjusts these parameters in response to changing reservoir conditions and production responses, optimizing both consistency and uniformity through adaptive parameter modification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The system effectively balances resource extraction by optimizing fluid injection patterns, enhancing hydrocarbon recovery efficiency and maintaining consistent production rates across all wells, thereby improving overall resource recovery from the formation.

Implementation Method 1

One or more injector wells are configured to selectively inject a fluid into, and increase pressure within, the resource bearing formation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid injection pressure increase: Pressurisation

Data Source

PatentUS9650876B2Method of balancing resource recovery from a resource bearing formation

Publication Date: 2017.05.16 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

A method of recovering resources from a resource bearing formation includes selectively injecting a fluid into the resource bearing formation through one or more injector wells, extracting a resource from the resource bearing formation through one or more production wells, receiving at a sweep pattern controller, an input from each of the one or more production wells indicating an amount of the resource extracted over a period of time, determining, in the sweep pattern controller, an adjusted sweep pattern for the formation that substantially equalizes production from each of the one or more production wells, and signaling each of the one or more injector wells, from the sweep pattern controller, to selectively inject the fluid to establish the adjusted sweep pattern in the formation.