Well Connectivity Graph Optimization via Segment Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydrocarbon reservoir simulation methods require significant computational resources and time due to the complexity of well connectivity graphs, leading to delays and inefficiencies in reservoir development.
Innovation Solution
The method involves simplifying connectivity graphs by merging links without connections or flow control elements, reducing the number of equations and processing resources needed, and generating a reduced connectivity graph to model and simulate hydrocarbon wells efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If detailed well connectivity graphs are used to model hydrocarbon wells, then simulation accuracy is improved, but computational overhead and processing time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The well trajectory is divided into discrete segments, with connection points and flow control elements serving as segment boundaries. This segmentation allows the system to process only relevant portions of the wellbore in detail while simplifying other sections, thereby maintaining simulation accuracy where needed while reducing overall computational overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
Adjacent segments that lack connection points or flow control elements are merged into single computational units. This merging reduces the total number of discrete elements in the connectivity graph, decreasing the number of equations that must be solved while preserving the essential flow characteristics of the wellbore.
2Measurement precision
If complex connectivity graphs with many links and nodes are used, then model detail and accuracy are improved, but device complexity and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connectivity graph is constructed by segmenting the well trajectory at physically meaningful locations (connection points and flow control elements). This ensures that graph complexity is minimized by creating segments only where necessary to capture flow dynamics, rather than using uniformly fine segmentation throughout the entire wellbore.
Solution Approach 2:
The method automatically merges adjacent segments that do not contain connection points or flow control elements, reducing the number of nodes and links in the connectivity graph. This merging process maintains model detail at critical locations while eliminating redundant complexity in straightforward conduit sections.
3Reliability
If comprehensive wellbore modeling including all conduit sections is performed, then simulation completeness is improved, but computational resources and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The method extracts and isolates only the essential features (connection points and flow control elements) that govern wellbore flow behavior. By focusing computational resources on these critical elements rather than modeling every conduit section in detail, the system achieves simulation completeness where it matters most while reducing overall computational resource requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Conduit sections without significant flow control features are merged into simplified representations, reducing the computational burden of modeling while preserving the essential flow path and connectivity information needed for reliable simulation results.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are embodiments that include segmenting a trajectory of a wellbore of a hydrocarbon well. For each segment, determining whether the segment includes a connection or a flow control element, and in response to determining that the segment includes a connection, generating a conduit link for the segment, in response to determining that the segment includes one or more flow control elements, generating an element link for the segment, or in response to determining that the segment does not include a connection or a flow control element, merging a modeling of the segment with modeling of a conduit link for an adjacent segment of the wellbore. Generating, based on the conduit links and element links generated, a reduced connectivity graph for the hydrocarbon well and a simulation of the hydrocarbon well.