Well Partitioning via Streamline Arrival Time Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current well completion technologies face challenges in optimizing reservoir sweep efficiency and zonal allocation of well production rates due to limitations in determining optimal packer placement and flow control equipment sizing for isolated completion zones in hydrocarbon-bearing geologic structures.
Innovation Solution
A computer-based system utilizing a reservoir model to determine streamline fields and arrival times for fluid contacts, which constrains fluid travel along streamlines to partition the wellbore into isolated zones and inform packer placement and flow control equipment parameters, thereby enhancing reservoir sweep efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional well completion methods are used without streamline-based analysis, then the completion process is simpler and faster, but reservoir sweep efficiency and zonal allocation of production rates are suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing streamline-based arrival time analysis and completion zone identification before the actual well completion process. The system calculates fluid arrival times at different wellbore locations and identifies optimal completion zones in advance, allowing engineers to plan packer placement and flow control settings beforehand. This preliminary computational analysis optimizes reservoir sweep efficiency and zonal allocation before physical implementation, resolving the contradiction between improved productivity and increased complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If packer placement and flow control equipment sizing are optimized using streamline analysis, then zonal allocation of production rates improves, but the computational complexity and time required for completion design increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional trial-and-error mechanical approaches to packer placement with a computational streamline-based system. The system uses numerical simulation to calculate fluid arrival times and identify optimal completion zones, substituting iterative field testing with predictive computational analysis. This substitution provides precise packer placement recommendations while reducing overall design time by eliminating repeated trial-and-error cycles.
3Loss of substance
If flow control devices are sized based on streamline arrival times, then hydrocarbon recovery increases, but the complexity of determining optimal flow control settings increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational layer that translates complex reservoir flow dynamics into simplified flow control recommendations. The streamline-based arrival time analysis serves as an intermediary that converts complex multi-phase reservoir flow simulations into clear guidance for flow control device sizing. This intermediary system maximizes hydrocarbon recovery by optimizing flow control settings while managing the complexity through structured computational analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique includes determining a streamline field in a geologic region that contains a wellbore, based at least in part on a reservoir model of the region. The streamline field includes streamlines that intersect a fluid contact of interest in the region and intersect the wellbore. The technique includes determining arrival times at points along the wellbore associated with the fluid contact boundary of interest based at least in part on fluid travel for the boundary being constrained to occur along the streamlines; and determining partitions associated with isolated completion zones based at least in part on the determined arrival times.