초록 ▼

The method for the active or automated control of the reservoir uses a reservoir model with available data such as seismic, log, and core data as inputs, and uses the reservoir model in conjunction with a reservoir simulation tool in order to determine a production strategy which will maximize certa

The method for the active or automated control of the reservoir uses a reservoir model with available data such as seismic, log, and core data as inputs, and uses the reservoir model in conjunction with a reservoir simulation tool in order to determine a production strategy which will maximize certain criteria, e.g., profits. The production strategy may include fixed elements which are not easily altered once the wells go into production, and variable elements which can be adjusted without serious effort during production. The production strategy is implemented by drilling wells, etc., and fluids are then controllably produced from the reservoir according to the variable production strategy; i.e., fluid flow rates are monitored by sensors, and, by adjusting control valves, are kept to desired values (which may change over time) set according to the variable production strategy. According to another aspect of the invention, information gleaned as a result of the adjustments to the control means is used to update the reservoir model. As a result, the variable and fixed production strategies can be updated and implemented.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A method for the active or automated control of a reservoir in a formation, comprising:a) using a reservoir model, with previously determined information regarding the formation as an input thereto, to determine a preferred production strategy for the reservoir, said preferred prod

[ We claim:] [1.] A method for the active or automated control of a reservoir in a formation, comprising:a) using a reservoir model, with previously determined information regarding the formation as an input thereto, to determine a preferred production strategy for the reservoir, said preferred production strategy including a desired production flow rate from a well in the formation;b) producing fluids from the well;c) using sensing means, monitoring a flow rate at which said fluids are produced from the well;d) comparing said flow rate of said monitoring with said desired production flow rate to obtain a difference signal; ande) adjusting a valve control means by minimizing an indication of said difference signal with respect to at least one parameter which relates said difference signal to a valve coefficient of said valve control means, in order to cause said fluids to be produced from the well at substantially said production flow rate according to said production strategy. [22.] A system for the active or automated control of a reservoir in a formation traversed by a plurality of wells, comprising:a) a reservoir model having previously determined information regarding the formation as an input thereto, said reservoir model including (i) means for determining a preferred production strategy for the reservoir, said preferred production strategy including a production flow rate from at least a designated one of the wells in the formation, and (ii) update means for updating said reservoir model based on additional information obtained regarding said designated well;b) production means for producing fluids from the designated well, said production means including adjustable control means for controlling a rate at which fluids are produced from the designated well;c) sensing means for monitoring a flow rate at which the fluids are produced from the designated well, said sensing means being coupled to said control means in a feedback loop in order to cause said fluids to be produced from the designated well at said production flow rate according to said production strategy; andd) means for measuring pressure transients in the designated well, wherein indications of said pressure transients are provided to update means for updating said reservoir model.