Using Intersect high-resolution reservoir simulator
Available as a module for Petrel™ subsurface software, Petrel advanced completion optimization (ACO) incorporates a workflow that uses the Intersect™ high-resolution reservoir simulator for detailed model-based comparative analysis of multiple lower completion options. It enables optimizing hydrocarbon recovery with respect to various factors, including project economics, constraints, and environmental footprint.
In the case of intelligent completions, the workflow simulates and compares fluid movements across the reservoir section over the life of the well for a range of interval control valve (ICV) completions. Powered by streamlines, it uses the concept of time of flight—the time it takes unwanted fluids (such as water and gas) to reach the wellbore—to recommend proactive adjustments to ICV positions; alternatively, a constraint-based reactive approach is used to suggest valve choke settings. In either case, the goal is to optimize production and recovery. Now you can replace conventional methodologies for ICV completion optimization, which are time and computational resource intensive and lack the ability to help optimize valve settings after ICV installation in the well.
At the completion concept selection stage, Petrel ACO and the rich functionality of the Petrel software enable identifying the well design—single-bore or multilateral well, number of laterals, conventional, inflow control device (ICD), or intelligent completion—that will maximize results. If an intelligent completion is a concept under study, the workflow enables reservoir and completion engineers to optimize ICV selection and packer placement to maximize oil recovery and delay the breakthrough of unwanted fluids, such as water and gas. It supports ICVs with on-off, multiposition, or continuously variable chokes.
In conjunction with the Intersect reservoir simulator, the workflow evaluates multiple ICV configurations to identify the best solution—based on user constraints such as cost and produced water treatment capacity—while reducing simulation time and computational resource requirements by a factor of >100. The outputs are flow rates, volumes, and pressures, which can be used to compare recovery, production, flowing bottomhole pressures, drawdown, and fluid movements across the reservoir. Subsequently, simulation results can be used to adjust valve settings over the life of the well as part of an active production optimization routine.
With respect to equipment modeling, we have great flexibility in matching ICD, autonomous ICD (AICD), or ICV flow characteristics. On the reservoir side, the models should be history matched where possible. In SPE-192926, we describe a framework we built for using the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) to update reservoir models as production data become available.
Data necessary to build a reservoir simulation model are required, namely
Alternatively, we can work with your simulation model, provided it includes all the above information.
The model can be migrated directly using the migrator provided with your license for the Intersect simulator. If you prefer, SLB can do the conversion for you.
Training is available for completion and simulation engineers. Please contact us to schedule.
Please schedule training via NExT.
We compared the computational resource requirements for Petrel ACO versus traditional optimization for equivalent asset NPV outcomes. Traditional optimization required 42 hours of cloud computation to execute hundreds of simulation cases. Petrel ACO was able to achieve similar results in 1 hour, using a laptop.
Yes, our completions reservoir engineers are here to support and provide comparative studies of realistically feasible completion designs.
