Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Yao-Chou Cheng

Jose J Sequeira, Jr

James E Holl

Mark Wayne Dobin

Marek K Czernuszenko

Rune Musum

Hendrik Braaksma

Neal L Adair

Brian P West

Chul-Sung Kim

Lucas J Hilliard

John F Schuette

John A Farre

Ruben D Uribe

Jose Sequeira

Alan E Schwartzbard

Eric A Schmidtke

Joseph D Dischinger

Patricia Montoya

Christopher A Alba

Doug H Freeman

Mark W Dobin

Jose J Sequeira

Joe D Dischinger

A method and systems for dynamically planning a well site are provided herein. The method includes generating, via a computing system, a three-dimensional model of a hydrocarbon field including a reservoir. The method also includes determining a location for a well site based on the three-dimensional model and determining reservoir targets for the determined location and a well trajectory for each reservoir target. The method also includes adjusting the location for the well site within the three-dimensional model and dynamically adjusting the reservoir targets and the well trajectories based on the dynamic adjustment of the location for the well site. The determination and the dynamic adjustment of the location, the reservoir targets, and the well trajectories for the well site are based on specified constraints. The method further includes determining a design for the well site based on the dynamic adjustment of the location, the reservoir targets, and the well trajectories for the well site.

Interactively planning a well site

There is provided a system and method for automatically identifying potential compartments of a reservoir based on the reservoirs geological structure. A method of identifying compartments of a reservoir structure includes obtaining structural data corresponding to a geological structure of a reservoir. The method also includes generating a topological net based on the structural data, the topological net comprising critical points and poly segments connecting the critical points. The method also includes identifying potential compartments of the reservoir structure based on the topological net. The method also includes identifying spill or break-over relationships among the potential compartments based on the topological net.

Method of reservoir compartment analysis using topological structure in 3D earth model

Method for determining visualization rendering parameters for seismic data to heighten subtle differences. The full data volume and at least one sub-volume are processed in the inventive method (). Statistics are extracted for the data or attributes of the data (). Rendering parameters are derived based on comparing and computing the statistical information for the volume and sub-volumes ().

Method for region delineation and optimal rendering transform of seismic attributes

There is provided a system and method for reservoir connectivity analysis in a 3D earth model. A subsurface region is identified and a baseline reservoir connectivity model is obtained from the subsurface region. Compartments and connections are determined from the baseline reservoir connectivity model using reservoir connectivity analysis, and a set of 3D objects representing the compartments and/or connections is created from the 3D earth model. A mathematical graph structure is created from the 3D objects and reservoir connectivity scenarios are evaluated based on analysis of the mathematical graph structure and 3D objects.

Reservoir connectivity analysis in a 3D earth model

A method, including: identifying a well target or reservoir segment; defining a dynamic surface grid, the dynamic surface grid being a representation of a ground surface, sea-level, or subsea surface above a reservoir upon which a drill center is locatable, and the dynamic surface grid including a plurality of cells that define potential locations for the drill center; assigning, to each of the plurality of cells of the dynamic surface grid, a value of a drilling or geologic attribute that defines a quality of a drill center position relative to the well target or reservoir segment; and selecting, based on a value of the drilling or geologic attribute, a location for the drill center corresponding to a location represented on the dynamic surface grid.

Method and system of interactive drill center and well planning evaluation and optimization

Systems and methods which utilize functional objects in connectivity analysis are shown. Functional objects may be denoted by a geological feature, a user-defined location, a critical point in a connection network, a region within a 3D volume, etc. Each functional object preferably possesses and/or has associated therewith an ability to obtain information such as relevant connection pathways, linked regions of interest, statistical connection information, etc. Such functional objects may have dynamic regions associated therewith, such as to define an area of uncertainty, for facilitating exploring connectivity. Desired connectivity information can be revealed interactively from within a confusing web of connection pathways through use of the functional objects. Through interactive manipulation of functional objects analysis may be refined or revised. Additionally or alternatively, logical operations may be applied with respect to one or more functional objects to extend or reduce the connectivity of interest.

Systems and methods for connectivity analysis using functional objects

A method is provided for displaying selected portions of a three-dimensional (3D) volumetric data set representing a subsurface formation. At least one two-dimensional (2D) canvas is generated. The 2D canvas corresponds to a plane in the 3D data set. The 2D canvas is shown in a first display window. One or more primitives are created on the 2D canvas. A volumetric region of the 3D volumetric data set corresponding to the one or more primitives is identified. The volumetric region is displayed in a 3D scene. The 3D scene is shown in a second display window.

Canvas control for 3D data volume processing

A system and method for planning a well path is described. An exemplary method comprises defining a proxy constraint volume as a three-dimensional (3D) cellular volume where each cell has at least one value derived from data from a 3D earth model. An initial well path is defined within user defined drilling parameter constraints. The exemplary method comprises defining acceptable constraint parameters to be applied to values derived from an intersection of the initial well path and the proxy constraint volume. If the intersection of the initial well path and the proxy constraint volume is not within the acceptable constraint parameters, the initial well path may be iteratively adjusted to create successive well paths until at least one of the successive well paths is within the acceptable constraint parameters for the values derived from the intersection of the well path and proxy constraint volume.

System and method for planning a well path

Method for reservoir surveillance using a three-dimensional Earth Model () to improve and expedite the surveillance at all scales of investigation (field, reservoir, fault compartment, and individual well) and at all time steps (minutes, hours, days, months, years). The new method allows users to rapidly identify anomalous field and well performance () and provides capability to investigate root causes of the performance deviation from predicted (). Animated co-rendered displays () of the earth model and actual () and simulated () production data enable the user to interactively determine model adjustments back at the basic level of the Earth Model, which are then propagated to a geologic model () and then to the reservoir simulator () to update it () in a physically constrained way.

Iterative reservoir surveillance

Method for determining one or more optimal well trajectories and a drill center location for hydrocarbon production. A well path and drill center optimization problem () is solved in which one constraint is that a well trajectory must intersect a finite size target region () in each formation of interest, or in different parts of the same formation. The finite target size provides flexibility for the optimization problem to arrive at a more advantageous solution. Typical well path optimization constraints are also applied, such as anti-collision constraints and surface site constraints ().

Method for using dynamic target region for well path/drill center optimization

A method of creating a visual display based on a plurality of data sources is provided. An exemplary embodiment of the method comprises extracting a set of extracted data from the plurality of data sources and processing at least a portion of the extracted data with a set of knowledge agents according to specific criteria to create at least one data assemblage. The exemplary method also comprises providing an integrated two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) visual display in which at least one 2D element of the at least one data assemblage is integrated into a 3D visual representation using a mapping identifier and a criteria identifier.

Functional-based knowledge analysis in a 2D and 3D visual environment

A method of planning a drilling operation IS provided that comprises selecting a set of targeted regions based on data from a three-dimensional shared earth model and generating at least one targeted segment within each one of the set of targeted regions The method further comprises defining at least one application agent for the purpose of evaluating the at least one targeted segment within each one of the set of targeted regions based on a potential payout in terms of production of hydrocarbons The exemplary method additionally comprises identifying at least one well trajectory through the at least one targeted segment within each one of the set of targeted regions And the method comprises employing the at least one application agent to evaluate well trajectories based on the potential payout in terms of at least one of production of hydrocarbons, drilling complexity, cost or stability of well planning.

System and method for planning a drilling operation

There is provided a system and method for obtaining data corresponding to a property of interest on an unstructured grid. An exemplary method comprises defining a path of interest at least a portion of which goes through the unstructured grid. The exemplary method also comprises extracting data corresponding to the property of interest on the unstructured grid where the path of interest and the unstructured grid overlap.

System and method for obtaining data on an unstructured grid

A method for processing data sets is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises; (a) defining at least two primary region constraints in the data sets by creating a corresponding constraint data set, (b) combining at least two primary region constraints using gated-logic expressions to create derived regions, (c) creating mapping functions from the gated-logic expressions of the derived regions, and (d) displaying desired derived regions through manipulation of the mapping functions. This method is preferably computer implemented and permits processing of multiple constraints in large data sets (such as, three-dimensional seismic or discontinuity data).

Method for multi-region data processing and visualization

Structural and stratigraphic discontinuities are identified in a 3-D volume of seismic data samples, by first selecting a plurality of directions containing a primary direction and at least one secondary direction. Next, one-dimensional, two-trace first discontinuity values are calculated along the primary direction for each seismic data sample in the 3-D data volume. Next, a series of sequentially less restrictive thresholds is defined, such that a significant portion, preferably at least approximately 10%, of the first discontinuity values satisfy the first threshold. This significant portion of first discontinuity values is then stored in an output discontinuity volume at the corresponding sample locations. The following steps are repeated for each remaining data sample until that sample has a value stored at the corresponding sample location in the output discontinuity volume. First, one-dimensional, two-trace discontinuity values are calculated for the sample sequentially along the secondary directions and the first of the calculated discontinuity values satisfying the first threshold is stored in the output volume. If none of the calculated discontinuity values satisfies the first threshold, then, the next less restrictive threshold in the series of thresholds is selected. Finally, the discontinuity values calculated along the primary and secondary directions are compared sequentially to the selected threshold and the first of the discontinuity values that satisfies the selected threshold is stored in the output discontinuity volume.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Yao-Chou Cheng