Zonal Flow Quantification via Water-Soluble Tracers in Multi-lateral Wells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current reservoir management techniques face challenges in accurately quantifying zonal flow in multi-lateral wells, particularly due to the need for well shut-in and the high costs and reliability issues associated with downhole metering and intelligent completions in high salinity and pressure conditions.
Innovation Solution
The method involves injecting water-soluble tracers, such as naphthalene and pyrene sulfonates, through capillary dosing lines from the surface into different zones of the well, allowing for the measurement of tracer concentrations in produced fluids without shutting in the well, enabling the quantification of zonal flow contributions without the need for downhole metering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If downhole metering and intelligent completions are used to quantify zonal flow, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses water-soluble tracers as intermediary substances injected into different laterals through dosing tubings. These tracers mix with produced fluids and are detected at the surface, serving as a mediator between the downhole flow zones and surface measurement equipment. This eliminates the need for complex downhole metering while enabling zonal flow quantification through tracer concentration analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical downhole metering systems with a chemical tracing method. Instead of using mechanical flow meters and intelligent completion devices downhole, the system uses chemical tracers that can be detected through fluid sampling and analysis at the surface, substituting a mechanical measurement system with a chemical-biological detection system.
2Measurement precision
If well shut-in is performed for tracer injection, then tracer distribution is improved, but productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic tracer injection cycles where tracers are injected into laterals during production, allowing the well to remain in production mode. The periodic injection creates distinct tracer concentration pulses that can be detected and analyzed, enabling zonal flow measurement without requiring well shut-in and maintaining continuous hydrocarbon production.
3Reliability
If traditional downhole methods are used in high salinity and pressure conditions, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the measurement function from the downhole environment to the surface. By injecting simple water-soluble tracers and analyzing them in surface facilities, the system removes the need for complex measurement devices to operate in harsh downhole conditions of high salinity and pressure, thereby improving reliability while reducing device complexity.
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
This approach allows for real-time, cost-effective monitoring and optimization of hydrocarbon production by accurately determining the contribution of each lateral to the total fluid flow, enhancing reservoir management and increasing hydrocarbon recovery without disrupting production.
Implementation Method 1
flowing a first produced fluid including hydrocarbon and water from a subterranean formation via the first lateral through a first valve into production tubing in the wellbore
Implementation Method 2
analyzing the produced stream to measure an amount of the first taggant in the produced stream and an amount of the second taggant in the produced stream
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for quantifying zonal flow in a multi-lateral well, including providing a first taggant through a first dosing tubing to a first lateral in a wellbore of the multi-lateral well, providing a second taggant through a second dosing tubing to a second lateral in the wellbore, flowing a first produced fluid from a subterranean formation via the first lateral into production tubing, flowing a second produced fluid including from the subterranean formation via the second lateral into the production tubing, flowing a produced stream including the first produced fluid and the second produced fluid uphole through the production tubing and discharging the produced stream from the wellbore, and analyzing the produced stream to measure an amount of the first taggant in the produced stream and an amount of the second taggant in the produced stream, wherein the first taggant and the second taggant are water soluble.