Hydrocarbon Well Pressure Control to Inhibit Water Breakthrough

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing techniques for operating hydrocarbon production wells do not provide a robust analytical solution to maximize hydrocarbon production while preventing or minimizing water breakthrough, which is a common issue when wells are drilled near highly saturated regions.

Innovation Solution

The method involves assessing water saturation around the well, determining the minimum operating bottom-hole pressure based on the distance to the nearest area of high water saturation, and adjusting production rates to maintain this pressure, thereby inhibiting water migration into the wellbore.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If production rate is increased to maximize hydrocarbon extraction, then productivity improves, but water breakthrough risk increases due to higher pressure drawdown

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydrocarbon production rateVSAvoidwater breakthrough

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of water saturation distribution around the wellbore before determining production rates. By pre-identifying saturated regions and calculating minimum operating bottom-hole pressures, the system establishes preventive pressure barriers before water breakthrough can occur, allowing maximization of hydrocarbon production within safe pressure limits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors production data and updates the water saturation model in real-time. Based on this feedback, it dynamically adjusts the minimum operating bottom-hole pressure and production rate recommendations to maintain the pressure barrier against water influx while optimizing hydrocarbon extraction, creating a closed-loop control system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If well operating pressure is reduced to prevent water migration, then water breakthrough is inhibited, but hydrocarbon production efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater migration into wellboreVSAvoidhydrocarbon production efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates the minimum operating bottom-hole pressure based on the distance to nearest saturated regions and current water saturation levels. By dynamically adjusting this critical pressure parameter, the system identifies the optimal operating window that maintains the pressure barrier against water migration while maximizing hydrocarbon production efficiency, rather than using fixed conservative pressure limits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system transforms static well operation into a dynamic process by continuously updating the water saturation model and recalculating minimum operating pressures based on changing reservoir conditions. This allows the well to operate at optimal pressures that adapt to evolving saturation patterns, preventing water breakthrough while maintaining high production efficiency throughout the well lifecycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If comprehensive well assessment and monitoring is performed to prevent water breakthrough, then reliability improves, but operational complexity and time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater breakthrough preventionVSAvoidoperational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system utilizes existing production data and standard reservoir simulation tools to perform water saturation assessments and minimum pressure calculations. By leveraging data already collected during normal well operations and using commercially available simulation software, the system provides comprehensive water breakthrough prevention capabilities without requiring additional specialized equipment or complex operational procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces complex physical monitoring equipment and invasive measurement methods with numerical reservoir simulation and data analysis. By using computational models to predict water saturation distribution and calculate minimum operating pressures, the system achieves reliable water breakthrough prevention through software-based analysis rather than mechanical intervention, reducing operational complexity while maintaining high reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10519768B2Systems and methods for operating hydrocarbon wells to inhibit breakthrough based on reservoir saturation

Publication Date: 2019.12.31 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

Provided are embodiments that include determining cellular volumes having a saturation value for a given time that is above a threshold saturation value and having a location within a threshold distance of a perforation location of a production well, determining a nearest cell distance defined by a minimum distance between the perforation location and locations of the determined cellular volumes, determining an operating bottom-hole pressure (BHP) and a surface well pressure (SWP) for the well for the given time, determining a minimum operating BHP for the well for the given time according to a specified relationship of the operating BHP, the SWP, the threshold saturation value, the threshold distance, and the nearest cell distance, and operating the well at a production rate to maintain a BHP of the well at or above the minimum operating BHP for a time period associated with the given time.