Patent Application
20160102528
The present inventions relate to methods and systems for simulating, predicting, and operating complex failure analysis, fracture profiles, fluid flows, predicted material change and other types of hydraulic and mechanical-hydraulic operations. In particular, the present inventions provide, among other things, methods and systems for modeling and predicting hydraulic fracturing operations for the production of hydrocarbons and geothermal energy.
The ability to use computers, networks and systems to simulate, e.g., provide “virtual” models, predictions, replications of “real” events, apparatus, operations and conditions has provided considerable benefits to many industries, such as for example, chemical, power generation, construction, financial markets, optics, optical systems, real estate markets, boiler and high pressure vessels, power transmission, maritime, automotive, aerospace, energy exploration and production, tools and tooling, machining, consumer products and medicine. Thus, solutions, such as, CAD (Computer Added Design), CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), CAE (Computer Aided Engineering), FEA (Finite Element Analysis), FMEA (Failure Mode Effect Analysis), CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing), and similar tools, have becoming widely used and are commercially available, such as, ANSYS®, SolidWorks®, XFRACAS®, NX Unigraphics®, Fracpro®, Petrel E&P Software Platform®, DECISIONSPACE®, NEXUS® Reservoir Simulation, to name a few.
These solutions, however, to a great extent have, and are, reaching the limits of computing abilities (e.g, computers and processing), computational abilities (e.g., mathematics and algorithms) and both. Thus, they are proving to be less satisfactory, and at times unsatisfactory for more complex problems, operations and applications. An example of one area where these prior solutions have these failings is in the areas of hydrocarbon and geothermal exploration and production. In particular, the present solutions, and the art in general, has failed to provide satisfactory modeling, simulations and understanding of the mechanical, geological, fluid flow, and mechanical-hydraulic events that take place during: workover and completion activities; reworking of a well; perforating; hydraulic fracturing; initial production; and long term production of hydrocarbons for a well, a collection of wells in a field and both.
Although hereafter this specification will primarily address hydraulic fracturing, and hydrocarbon exploration and production, its teachings and scope are applicable to any other complex mechanical, hydraulic and mechanical-hydraulic systems. Thus, the specifications use of the hydraulic fracturing application is an embodiment of the present inventions; and is illustrative of and a teaching example for the present inventions.
Generally, in the production of natural resources from formations within the earth, a well or borehole is drilled into the earth to the location where the natural resource is believed to be located. These natural resources may be a hydrocarbon reservoir, containing natural gas, crude oil and combinations of these; the natural resource may be fresh water; it may be a heat source for geothermal energy; or it may be some other natural resource that is located within the ground.
These resource-containing formations may be a few hundred feet, a few thousand feet, or tens of thousands of feet below the surface of the earth, including under the floor of a body of water, e.g., below the sea floor. In addition to being at various depths within the earth, these formations may cover areas of differing sizes, shapes and volumes.
Unfortunately, and generally, when a well is drilled into these formations the natural resources rarely flow into the well at rates, durations and amounts that are economically viable. This problem occurs for several reasons, some of which are well understood, others of which are not as well understood, and some of which may not yet be known. These problems can relate to the viscosity of the natural resource, the porosity of the formation, the geology of the formation, the formation pressures, and the perforations that place the production tubing in the well in fluid communication with the formation, to name a few.
Typically, and by way of general illustration, in drilling a well an initial borehole is made into the earth, e.g., the surface of land or seabed, and then subsequent and smaller diameter boreholes are drilled to extend the overall depth of the borehole. In this manner as the overall borehole gets deeper its diameter becomes smaller; resulting in what can be envisioned as a telescoping assembly of holes with the largest diameter hole being at the top of the borehole closest to the surface of the earth.
Thus, by way of example, the starting phases of a subsea drill process may be explained in general as follows. Once the drilling rig is positioned on the surface of the water over the area where drilling is to take place, an initial borehole is made by drilling a 36″ hole in the earth to a depth of about 200-300 ft. below the seafloor. A 30″ casing is inserted into this initial borehole. This 30″ casing may also be called a conductor. The 30″ conductor may or may not be cemented into place. During this drilling operation a riser is generally not used and the cuttings from the borehole, e.g., the earth and other material removed from the borehole by the drilling activity are returned to the seafloor. Next, a 26″ diameter borehole is drilled within the 30″ casing, extending the depth of the borehole to about 1,000-1,500 ft. This drilling operation may also be conducted without using a riser. A 20″ casing is then inserted into the 30″ conductor and 26″ borehole. This 20″ casing is cemented into place. The 20″ casing has a wellhead secured to it. (In other operations an additional smaller diameter borehole may be drilled, and a smaller diameter casing inserted into that borehole with the wellhead being secured to that smaller diameter casing.) A BOP (blow out preventer) is then secured to a riser and lowered by the riser to the sea floor; where the BOP is secured to the wellhead. From this point forward all drilling activity in the borehole takes place through the riser and the BOP.
For a land based drill process, the steps are similar, although the large diameter tubulars, 30″-20″ are typically not used. Thus, and generally, there is a surface casing that is typically about 13⅜″ diameter. This may extend from the surface, e.g., wellhead and BOP, to depths of tens of feet to hundreds of feet. One of the purposes of the surface casing is to meet environmental concerns in protecting ground water. The surface casing should have sufficiently large diameter to allow the drill string, product equipment such as ESPs and circulation mud to pass through. Below the casing one or more different diameter intermediate casings may be used. (It is understood that sections of a borehole may not be cased, which sections are referred to as open hole.) These can have diameters in the range of about 9″ to about 7″, although larger and smaller sizes may be used, and can extend to depths of thousands and tens of thousands of feet. Inside of the casing and extending from a pay zone, or production zone of the borehole up to and through the wellhead on the surface is the production tubing. There may be a single production tubing or multiple production tubings in a single borehole, with each of the production tubing endings being at different depths.
Typically, when completing a well, it is necessary to perform a perforation operation, and perform a hydraulic fracturing, or fracing operation. In general, when a well has been drilled and casing, e.g., a metal pipe, is run to the prescribed depth, the casing is typically cemented in place by pumping cement down and into the annular space between the casing and the earth. (It is understood that many different down hole casing, open hole, and completion approaches may be used.) The casing, among other things, prevents the hole from collapsing and fluids from flowing between permeable zones in the annulus. Thus, this casing forms a structural support for the well and a barrier to the earth.
While important for the structural integrity of the well, the casing and cement present a problem when they are in the production zone. Thus, in addition to holding back the earth, they also prevent the hydrocarbons from flowing into the well and from being recovered. Additionally, the formation itself may have been damaged by the drilling process, e.g., by the pressure from the drilling mud, and this damaged area of the formation may form an additional barrier to the flow of hydrocarbons into the well. Similarly, in most situations where casing is not needed in the production area, e.g., open hole, the formation itself is generally tight, and more typically can be very tight, and thus, will not permit the hydrocarbons to flow into the well. In some situations the formation pressure is large enough that the hydrocarbons readily flow into the well in an uncased, or open hole. Nevertheless, as formation pressure lessens a point will be reached where the formation itself shuts-off, or significantly reduces, the flow of hydrocarbons into the well. Also such low formation pressure could have insufficient force to flow fluid from the bottom of the borehole to the surface, requiring the use of artificial lift.
To address, in part, this problem of the flow of hydrocarbons (as well as other resources, e.g., geothermal) into the well being blocked by the casing, cement and the formation itself, openings, e.g., perforations, are made in the well in the area of the pay zone. Generally, a perforation is a small, about ¼″ to about 1″ or 2″ in diameter hole that extends through the casing, cement and damaged formation and goes into the formation. This hole creates a passage for the hydrocarbons to flow from the formation into the well. In a typical well, a large number of these holes are made through the casing and into the formation in the pay zone.
Generally, in a perforating operation a perforating tool or gun is lowered into the borehole to the location where the production zone or pay zone is located. The perforating gun is a long, typically round tool, that has a small enough diameter to fit into the casing or tubular and reach the area within the borehole where the production zone is believed to be. Once positioned in the production zone a series of explosive charges, e.g., shaped charges, are ignited. The hot gases and molten metal from the explosion cut a hole, i.e., the perf or perforation, through the casing and into the formation. These explosive-made perforations extend a few inches, e.g., 6″ to 18″ into the formation.
The ability, or ease, by which the natural resource can flow out off the formation and into the well or production tubing (into and out of, for example, in the case of engineered geothermal wells) can generally be understood as the fluid communication between the well and the formation. As this fluid communication is increased several enhancements or benefits may be obtained: the volume or rate of flow (e.g., gals per minute) can increase; the distance within the formation out from the well where the natural resources will flow into the well can be increased (e.g., the volume and area of the formation that can be drained by a single well is increased and it will thus take less total wells to recover the resources from an entire field); the time period when the well is producing resources can be lengthened; the flow rate can be maintained at a higher rate for a longer period of time; and combinations of these and other efficiencies and benefits. Unfortunately, it is believed that the presently available modeling and analysis solutions, e.g., software packages, provided little, to no, complex analysis, guidance, simulation or predictability for what occurs down hole, e.g., in the formation at the pay zone, hydraulic fracturing zone, and preferably both.
Fluid communication between the formation and the well can be greatly increased by the use of hydraulic fracturing techniques. The first uses of hydraulic fracturing date back to the late 1940s and early 1950s. In general, hydraulic fracturing treatments involve forcing fluids down the well and into the formation; the fluids enter the formation and crack, e.g., cause, e.g., force, the rock and layers of rock to break apart or fracture. These fractures create channels or flow paths that may have cross sections of a few microns (μm), to a few millimeters, to several millimeters in size, and potentially larger. The fractures may also extend out from the well in all directions for a few feet, several feet and tens of feet or further. It should be remembered that the longitudinal axis of the well in the reservoir may not be vertical, it may be at an angle (either sloping up or down) or it may be horizontal. For example, in the recovery of shale oil, gas and both, the wells are typically essentially horizontal in the reservoir. The section of the well located within the reservoir, i.e., the section of the formation containing the natural resources, can be called the pay zone.
Typical fluid volumes in a propped fracturing treatment of a formation in general can range from a few thousand to a few million gallons. Proppant volumes can approach several thousand cubic feet. In general, the objective of proppant fracturing is to create and enhance fluid communication between the wellbore and the hydrocarbons in the formation, e.g., the reservoir. Thus, proppant fracturing techniques are used to create and enhance conductive pathways for the hydrocarbons to get from the reservoir to the wellbore. Further, a general way of enhancing the efficacy of proppant fracturing techniques is to have uniform proppant distribution. In this manner a uniformly conductive fracture along the wellbore height and fracture half-length can be provided. However, the complicated nature of proppant settling, and in particular in non-Newtonian fluids often causes a higher concentration of proppant to settle down in the lower part of the fracture. This in turn can create a lack of adequate proppant coverage on the upper portion of the fracture and the wellbore. Clustering of proppant, encapsulation, bridging, crushing and embedment are a few negative occurrences or phenomena that can lower the potential conductivity of the proppant pack, and efficacy of the hydraulic fracture and the well.
The fluids used to perform hydraulic fracturing can range from very simple, e.g., water, to very complex. Additionally, these fluids, e.g., fracing fluids or fracturing fluids, typically carry with them proppants. Proppants are small particles, e.g., grains of sand, that are flowed into the fractures and hold, e.g., “prop” or hold open the fractures when the pressure of the fracturing fluid is reduced and the fluid is removed to allow the resource, e.g., hydrocarbons, to flow into the well. In this manner the proppants hold open the fractures, keeping the channels open so that the hydrocarbons can more readily flow into the well. Additionally, the fractures greatly increase the surface area from which the hydrocarbons can flow into the well.
The composition of the fluid, the characteristics of the proppant, the amount of proppant, the pressures and volumes of fluids used, the number of times, e.g., stages, when the fluid is forced into the formation, and combinations and variations of these and other factors may be preselected and predetermined for specific fracturing jobs, based upon the formation, geology, perforation type, nature and characteristics of the natural resource, and formation pressure, among other things. However, there has been a long standing, but unfulfilled need for techniques, equipment, and ways of selecting and determining the parameters, e.g., the optimum parameters, for a specific formation, well, field or fracturing operation; and, in particular, a way of integrating and better utilizing historic, derived and real time data and information to select, determine and enhance these parameters.
Generally, proppant transport inside a hydraulic fracture has two components when the fracture is being generated. The horizontal component is generally dictated by the fluid velocity and associated streamlines which help carry proppant to the tip of the fracture. The vertical component is generally dictated by the terminal particle settling velocity of the proppant particle in the fluid and is a function of proppant diameter and density as well as fluid viscosity and density. The terminal settling velocity, the fluid velocity, and thus the proppant transportation and deposit into the fractures can be further effected and complicated by the various phenomena and conditions present during the fracturing operation.
The composition of the fluid, the characteristics of the proppant, the amount of proppant, the characteristics of the pert, the pressures and volumes of fluids used, the number of times, e.g., stages, when the fluid is forced into the formation, and combinations and variations of these and other factors can play an important role, in the success of the hydraulic fracturing operation. For example, the behavior of the formation (e.g., the hydrocarbon bearing rock), during (e.g., when subjected to the forces from the fracturing fluids), and after (e.g., when the formation is propped open by the proppant) can be important, significant, and in some situations critical to a success of the hydraulic fracturing operation and the well. Similarly, the behavior of the proppant and fluid (e.g., how far into the formation the fluid and proppant extend from the borehole) can be important, significant, and in some situations critical to a success of the hydraulic fracturing operation and the well. Yet, present modeling systems, hydraulic fracture design methods, and methods of hydraulic fracturing do not provide, utilize, or optimize these, and other important parameters, as well as other secondary parameters.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the terms “hydrocarbon exploration and production”, “exploration and production activities”, “E&P”, and “E&P activities”, and similar such terms are to be given their broadest possible meaning, and include surveying, geological analysis, well planning, reservoir planning, reservoir management, drilling a well, workover and completion activities, hydrocarbon production, flowing of hydrocarbons from a well, collection of hydrocarbons, secondary and tertiary recovery from a well, the management of flowing hydrocarbons from a well, and any other upstream activities.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the term “earth” should be given its broadest possible meaning, and includes, the ground, all natural materials, such as rocks, and artificial materials, such as concrete, that are or may be found in the ground.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise, “offshore” and “offshore drilling activities” and similar such terms are used in their broadest sense and would include drilling activities on, or in, any body of water, whether fresh or salt water, whether manmade or naturally occurring, such as for example rivers, lakes, canals, inland seas, oceans, seas, such as the North Sea, bays and gulfs, such as the Gulf of
Mexico. As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the term “offshore drilling rig” is to be given its broadest possible meaning and would include fixed towers, tenders, platforms, barges, jack-ups, floating platforms, drill ships, dynamically positioned drill ships, semi-submersibles and dynamically positioned semi-submersibles. As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the term “seafloor” is to be given its broadest possible meaning and would include any surface of the earth that lies under, or is at the bottom of, any body of water, whether fresh or salt water, whether manmade or naturally occurring.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the term “borehole” should be given it broadest possible meaning and includes any opening that is created in the earth that is substantially longer than it is wide, such as a well, a well bore, a well hole, a micro hole, a slimhole and other terms commonly used or known in the arts to define these types of narrow long passages. Wells would further include exploratory, production, abandoned, reentered, reworked, and injection wells. They would include both cased and uncased wells, and sections of those wells. Uncased wells, or section of wells, also are called open holes, or open hole sections. Boreholes may further have segments or sections that have different orientations, they may have straight sections and arcuate sections and combinations thereof. Thus, as used herein unless expressly provided otherwise, the “bottom” of a borehole, the “bottom surface” of the borehole and similar terms refer to the end of the borehole, i.e., that portion of the borehole furthest along the path of the borehole from the borehole's opening, the surface of the earth, or the borehole's beginning. The terms “side” and “wall” of a borehole should to be given their broadest possible meaning and include the longitudinal surfaces of the borehole, whether or not casing or a liner is present, as such, these terms would include the sides of an open borehole or the sides of the casing that has been positioned within a borehole. Boreholes may be made up of a single passage, multiple passages, connected passages, (e.g., branched configuration, fishboned configuration, or comb configuration), and combinations and variations thereof.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the term “advancing a borehole”, “drilling a well”, and similar such terms should be given their broadest possible meaning and include increasing the length of the borehole. Thus, by advancing a borehole, provided the orientation is not horizontal and is downward, e.g., less than 90°, the depth of the borehole may also be increased.
Boreholes are generally formed and advanced by using mechanical drilling equipment having a rotating drilling tool, e.g., a bit. For example, and in general, when creating a borehole in the earth, a drilling bit is extending to and into the earth and rotated to create a hole in the earth. To perform the drilling operation the bit must be forced against the material to be removed with a sufficient force to exceed the shear strength, compressive strength or combinations thereof, of that material. The material that is cut from the earth is generally known as cuttings, e.g., waste, which may be chips of rock, dust, rock fibers and other types of materials and structures that may be created by the bit's interactions with the earth. These cuttings are typically removed from the borehole by the use of fluids, which fluids can be liquids, foams or gases, or other materials know to the art.
The true vertical depth (“TVD”) of a borehole is the distance from the top or surface of the borehole to the depth at which the bottom of the borehole is located, measured along a straight vertical line. The measured depth (“MD”) of a borehole is the distance as measured along the actual path of the borehole from the top or surface to the bottom. As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the term depth of a borehole will refer to MD. In general, a point of reference may be used for the top of the borehole, such as the rotary table, drill floor, well head or initial opening or surface of the structure in which the borehole is placed.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the term “drill pipe” is to be given its broadest possible meaning and includes all forms of pipe used for drilling activities; and refers to a single section or piece of pipe. As used herein the terms “stand of drill pipe,” “drill pipe stand,” “stand of pipe,” “stand” and similar type terms should be given their broadest possible meaning and include two, three or four sections of drill pipe that have been connected, e.g., joined together, typically by joints having threaded connections. As used herein the terms “drill string,” “string,” “string of drill pipe,” string of pipe” and similar type terms should be given their broadest definition and would include a stand or stands joined together for the purpose of being employed in a borehole. Thus, a drill string could include many stands and many hundreds of sections of drill pipe.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the terms “workover,” “completion” and “workover and completion” and similar such terms should be given their broadest possible meanings and would include activities that take place at or near the completion of drilling a well, activities that take place at or the near the commencement of production from the well, activities that take place on the well when the well is a producing or operating well, activities that take place to reopen or reenter an abandoned or plugged well or branch of a well, and would also include for example, perforating, cementing, acidizing, fracturing, pressure testing, the removal of well debris, removal of plugs, insertion or replacement of production tubing, forming windows in casing to drill or complete lateral or branch wellbores, cutting and milling operations in general, insertion of screens, stimulating, cleaning, testing, analyzing and other such activities.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the terms “formation,” “reservoir,” “pay zone,” and similar terms, are to be given their broadest possible meanings and would include all locations, areas, and geological features within the earth that contain, may contain, or are believed to contain, hydrocarbons.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the terms “field,” “oil field” and similar terms, are to be given their broadest possible meanings, and would include any area of land, sea floor, or water that is loosely or directly associated with a formation, and more particularly with a resource containing formation, thus, a field may have one or more exploratory and producing wells associated with it, a field may have one or more governmental body or private resource leases associated with it, and one or more field(s) may be directly associated with a resource containing formation.
As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the terms “conventional gas”, “conventional oil”, “conventional”, “conventional production” and similar such terms are to be given their broadest possible meaning and include hydrocarbons, e.g., gas and oil, that are trapped in structures in the earth. Generally, in these conventional formations the hydrocarbons have migrated in permeable, or semi-permeable formations to a trap, or area where they are accumulated. Typically, in conventional formations a non-porous layer is above, or encompassing the area of accumulated hydrocarbons, in essence trapping the hydrocarbon accumulation. Conventional reservoirs have been historically the sources of the vast majority of hydrocarbons produced. As used herein, unless specified otherwise, the terms “unconventional gas”, “unconventional oil”, “unconventional”, “unconventional production” and similar such terms are to be given their broadest possible meaning and includes hydrocarbons that are held in impermeable rock, and which have not migrated to traps or areas of accumulation.
As used herein, unless stated otherwise, room temperature is 25° C. And, standard temperature and pressure is 25° C. and 1 atmosphere. As used herein, unless stated otherwise, generally, the term “about” is meant to encompass a variance or range of ±10%, the experimental or instrument error associated with obtaining the stated value, and preferably the larger of these.
Accordingly, there has been a long-standing and unfulfilled need for modeling, operations and analysis solutions to provide guidance and understanding in addressing complex mechanical, hydraulic and mechanical-hydraulic systems. In particular, such need has existed, and is becoming greater with ever increasing unconventional wells and recoveries, for modeling, operations and analysis solutions, to provided complex analysis, guidance, simulations, and predictability for what occurs down hole, e.g., in the formation at the pay zone, well bore, and hydraulic fracturing zone, during a hydraulic fracturing treatment of a well, as well as during hydrocarbon production. There has also existed a long-standing and unfulfilled need for similar solutions to address overall reservoir planning, management and well placement to enhance hydraulic fracturing operations and the recovery of resources for wells. The present inventions, among other things, solve, these and other needs by providing the articles of manufacture, devices and processes taught, disclosed and claimed herein.
Thus, there is provided an augmented hydraulic fracturing system at a fracturing site associated with a well in a formation, the system having: an information unit, the information unit in communication with a network; a solution system for providing a simulation of the hydraulic and mechanical-hydraulic properties of the formation; the solution system in communication with the network; and, the solution system having a processor, memory, actual formation data, an orchestration segment, and a plurality of engines, wherein the orchestration segment facilitates the transmission and prioritization of information and data between the engines; whereby, the augmented hydraulic fracturing system is capable of providing a model of the hydraulic and mechanical-hydraulic properties of the formation.
Additionally there is provided systems, solutions and methods having one or more of the following features: a display device for providing the model; wherein the model is a 3-D printer; the model is a 3-D representation of fracture prorogation of the formation; wherein the model defines an augmented hydraulic fracturing plan; wherein the information unit is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a module unit, a container, a truck, and a tablet; having a high pressure pump, proppant, fracturing fluid, and a mixing device; and wherein at least one of the high pressure pump or the mixing device are in communication with the network.
There is further provided systems, solutions and methods having one or more of the following features: wherein at least one engine is an XFEM; wherein at least one engine is a FEniCS; wherein at least one engines is selected from the group consisting of a well log analyzer, a geostatistics library, a meshing system, a meshing library, a fracture simulator, a fracture mechanics Library, a algebraic multigrid pre-conditioner, and a petroleum reservoir simulator; wherein the plurality of engines includes a well log analyzer, a geostatistics Library, a meshing system, a meshing library, a fracture simulator, a fracture mechanics library, a algebraic multigrid pre-conditioner, and a petroleum reservoir simulator; wherein the plurality of engines includes GSTL, CGAL, Gmsh, and FENiCS; and, wherein the solution system is contained in the information unit.
Yet further there is provided an augmented hydraulic fracturing system at a fracturing site for an oil field, the system having: an information unit, the information unit having a mobile container housing a solution system; the solution system having: a source for geologic data for a hydrocarbon bearing formation associated with an oil field, a source to an orchestration segment associated with a first engine and a second engine; and, the information unit having a means to display a computational augmented hydraulic fracturing plan; whereby the information unit includes a 3-D representation of an augmented fracturing plan.
There is further provided systems, solutions and methods having one or more of the following features: wherein the source of geological data is a communication line for providing the data from a data storage device; wherein the source of an orchestration program is a communication line for communicating with an orchestration program; wherein the source of an orchestration program is a network connection in communication with an orchestration program; having a high pressure pump, proppant, fracturing fluid, and a mixing device; and wherein the information unit, the high pressure pump and the mixing device are in communication with a network.
Still further there is provided a system for reducing the measured depth of a borehole and optimizing the hydraulic fracturing of the formation adjacent to the borehole, the system having: means for advancing a borehole; and, a solution system having a source for geologic data for a hydrocarbon bearing formation associated with an oil field, a source to an orchestration segment associated with an engine; whereby the system is capable of generating a borehole plan to reduce the measured depth of the borehole and optimize the orientation of the borehole with respect to the formation.
Moreover there is provided systems, solutions and methods having one or more of the following features: wherein the means for advancing the borehole is selected from the group consisting of a drill ship, a jack up, a semi submersible, a derrick, and a land based drilling rig; wherein the engine is an XFEM; wherein the engine is a FEniCS; wherein the engine is selected from the group consisting of a well log analyzer, a geostatistics library, a meshing system, a meshing library, a algebraic multigrid pre-conditioner, and a petroleum reservoir simulator; wherein the solution system includes a well log analyzer, a geostatistics library, a meshing system, a meshing library, a fracture simulator, a fracture mechanics library, a algebraic multigrid pre-conditioner, and a petroleum reservoir simulator; and wherein the engines is selected from the group consisting of GSTL, CGAL, Gmsh, and FENiCS.
Additionally, there is provided a solution system for facilitating communication to obtain an augmented hydraulic fracturing plan, the system having having: network for facilitating the communication between a plurality of components; the components having: a client subject having a processor and a memory, the client subject having a first data input, a second data input, and a data output in association with an MHI; a data base storage and management segment (DBS) in two-way communication with the client subject; an orchestration segment in two-way communication with the DBS, whereby information from the DBS is routed to and received from the orchestration segment; a plurality of engines in operational association with the orchestration engine, whereby the the orchestration engine controls the flow of information from the engines; and, the engines are selected from the group consisting of LAPACK, DORSAL, DOLFIN, OPM, MRST, UFL, FIAT, INSTANT, FFC, DUNE, GCC OPENMP, LLVM, OPENMP, openMPI, PETSC, SLEPC, UMFPACK, CHOLMOD, SCOTCH, METIS, CGAL, ZLIB, PYTHON, HDF5, QT, GMSH, BOOST, EIGEN, NUMPY, SCIPY, MUMPS, and Node.JS.
Still further there is provided a solution system for facilitating communication to obtain an augmented hydraulic and mechanical-hydraulic model of a formation, the system having having: network for facilitating the communication between a plurality of components; the components having: a client subject having a processor and a memory, the client subject having a first data input, a second data input, and a data output in association with an MHI; a data base storage and management segment (DBS) in two-way communication with the client subject; an orchestration segment in two-way communication with the DBS, whereby information from the DBS is routed to and received from the orchestration segment; a plurality of engines in operational association with the orchestration engine, whereby the the orchestration engine controls the flow of information from the engines; and, at least one of the plurality of engines is selected from the group consisting of LAPACK, DORSAL, DOLFIN, OPM, MRST, UFL, FIAT, INSTANT, FFC, DUNE, GCC OPENMP, LLVM, OPENMP, openMPI, PETSC, SLEPC, UMFPACK, CHOLMOD, SCOTCH, METIS, CGAL, ZLIB, PYTHON, HDF5, QT, GMSH, BOOST, EIGEN, NUMPY, SCIPY, MUMPS, and Node.JS.
Moreover, there is provided a reservoir management system, the system having: an information unit, the information unit in communication with a network; a solution system for providing a simulation of the hydraulic and mechanical-hydraulic properties of the reservoir; the solution system in communication with the network; and, the solution system having a processor, memory, actual reservoir data, an orchestration segment, and a plurality of engines, wherein the orchestration segment facilitates the transmission and prioritization of information and data between the engines; whereby, the reservoir management system is capable of providing an augmented reservoir management plan.
Yet further there is provided a solution system for providing virtual simulations, the system having: an orchestration segment; a first engine; and, a second engine
Moreover there is provided systems, solutions and methods having one or more of the following features: wherein the first engine includes a software package; wherein the first engine includes an open source software package; wherein the first engine includes a software package selected from the group consisting of LAPACK, DORSAL, DOLFIN, OPM, MRST, UFL, and FIAT; wherein the second engine includes a software package selected from the group consisting of INSTANT, FFC, DUNE, GCC OPENMP, LLVM, OPENMP, openMPI, PETSC, SLEPC, UMFPACK, CHOLMOD, SCOTCH, METIS, CGAL, ZLIB, PYTHON, HDF5, QT, GMSH, BOOST, EIGEN, NUMPY, SCIPY, MUMPS, and Node.JS; wherein at least on of the engines is selected from the group consisting of FEniCS, Gmesh, CGAL, Paraview, Meteor, Node, JS and MondoDB; wherein at least one of the engines has a dependencies; wherein at least on of the engines is a FEM; wherein at least one engines is selected from the group consisting of a well log analyzer, a geostatistics library, a meshing system, a meshing library, a fracture simulator, a fracture mechanics Library, a algebraic multigrid pre-conditioner, and a petroleum reservoir simulator; having a well log analyzer, a geostatistics Library, a meshing system, a meshing library, a fracture simulator, a fracture mechanics library, a algebraic multigrid pre-conditioner, and a petroleum reservoir simulator; having a client segment; having a data base management segment;
having a means to provide a model of a fracturing profile; and wherein the model is a 3-D simulation of a fracturing profile.
Still further there is provided an augmented workover and completion system at a site associated with a formation, the system having: a information unit, the information unit in communication with a network, a solution system for providing a simulation of at least the hydraulic or mechanical-hydraulic properties of the formation; the solution system in communication with the network; the solution system having actual data from the formation, an orchestration segment, and a plurality of engines, wherein the orchestration segment facilitates at least the transmission or prioritization of information between the engines; wherein the solution system is cable of providing a downhole model; and, a means to display the down hole model.
Yet additionally there is provided a method of hydraulically fracturing a formation having a borehole located in the formation, the method having: obtaining actual data defining a physical characteristic of a formation in an area adjacent to a borehole in the formation; providing the actual data to a solution system, the solution system having an orchestration system, a first engine and a second engine; obtaining from the solution system a model of the mechanical and hydro-mechanical properties of the area of the formation adjacent to the borehole; and, combining the model and a second actual data defining a physical characteristic of the formation with the model; and, thereby providing an augmented hydraulic fracturing plan for the formation.
Moreover there is provided systems, solutions and methods having one or more of the following features: having hydraulically fracturing the formation at least in part based upon the augmented hydraulic fracturing plan; wherein the actual data and the second actual data are the same; wherein the actual data and the second actual data are for the same physical property of the formation; and wherein the actual data or the second actual data is selected from a group of data consisting of geological data, well log data, core data, seismic data, micro-seismic data, and measuring well drilling data.
Yet additionally there is provided a method of hydraulically fracturing a formation having a borehole located in the formation, the method having: obtaining actual data defining a physical characteristic of a formation in an area adjacent to a borehole in the formation; providing the actual data to a solution system, the solution system having an orchestration system, a first engine and a second engine; and, obtaining from the solution system an augmented hydraulic fracturing plan for the formation.
Still further the are provided method a method of hydraulically fracturing a formation at least in part based upon an augmented hydraulic fracturing plan.
In general, embodiments of the present inventions relate to systems for computational solutions and methods of implementing these computational solutions to model and perform complex analyses, and render visualizations of these analyses, for use in various industrial, commercial and research applications. Thus, in an embodiment, the present inventions relate to methods and systems for simulating, predicting, and operating complex failure analysis, fracture profiles, fluid flows, predicted material change and other types of hydraulic and mechanical-hydraulic operations. In particular, the present inventions provide, among other things, methods and systems for modeling, conducting, and predicting hydraulic fracturing operations for the production of hydrocarbons.
In general, embodiments of the present inventions relate to systems, processes and applications for the augmented exploration, planning, development, production and recovery of natural resources, including hydrocarbons and geothermal. In these augmented reality embodiments, systems and processes integrate and utilize the complex failure analysis, models and simulations to develop, plan for and recover resources. In preferred embodiments these computationally augmented systems, processes, and wells provide better understanding of, information regarding, and thus performance, than can be obtained by actual measurements. In this manner, embodiments of the present computationally augmented hydrocarbon recovery methods provide a better understanding of the actual downhole conditions of a well than is obtainable by direct measurement—the present computationally augmented downhole reality, it more real than the downhole “reality” obtainable by measurement and observation.
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The interface and management unit 2 has a line 3 for down hole communications, such as for example obtaining measured (e.g., actual, observed) data from downhole sensors regarding the condition of the well, the formation and both. The interface and management unit 2 has a second line 3a for communications, such as for example obtaining measured (e.g., actual, observed) data regarding the conditions of a well, the formation and both. It being understood that more or less lines may be used, and that a single line may handle multiple flows, e.g., channels, of information, data and communications. The lines can be used to receive, transmit and both, information, data and control commands, among other things. The lines can be any type of communication pathway that can be used in, and meets the requirements of the oil field and oil exploration environment, including offshore, such as cables, fiber optics, and wireless, to name a few. The lines can be connected to, or facilitate the exchange of information, data, and commands, between other wells in the same field, other fields, data bases, historical data for the field or reservoir (e.g., geological information, core sample information, seismic, etc.), and one or more remote facilities to name a few. The remote facility can be a computational facility, such as for example a super computer, or cloud computing network, a remote monitoring facility (e.g., central command center), or a series of computers or stations, to provide for collaborate activity, such as the collaborative development of a fracture plan, a well plan or other drilling, workover and completion activities.
The computational augmented fracturing system 1, has an inlet apparatus 4, such as a well head, pressure management device, BOP, wireline lubricator, or other devices known to the art that provide for the ingress and egress into a borehole, including a producing well, and exploratory well, and during drilling, workover and completion activities for a production well.
The computational augmented hydraulic fracturing system 1, has pumping trucks 6, proppant storage containers 10, 11, a proppant feeder assembly 9, a blender, (e.g., mixing truck) 8, and fracturing fluid holding units 12. As will be understood by one of skill in the hydraulic fracturing arts,
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The computational augmented fracturing system provides detailed models and simulations of the mechanical and hydro-mechanical properties for the formation 17. These models and simulations may be before hydraulic fracturing, during the fracturing activities, and after the fracturing activities during production. These models and simulations can be based upon a predetermined perforation pattern, can be used to derive a perforation pattern, and combinations and variations of these. The models and simulations provide an augmented reality for the downhole conditions along the fracture area. Preferably this augmented reality is a more accurate, more detailed, and both, description of the actual downhole conditions than can be obtained from direct observation and measurement. This augmented reality can be combined with real time data and observation during a fracturing operation, in this manner the models and simulations can be refined in essentially real time to provide an improved model and simulation and an improved fracturing operation. Thus, by way of example, actual data and observations from the hydraulic fracturing of zone 24a, can be combined with, e.g., utilized and incorporated into, the models and simulations, to provide enhanced models, simulations and fracturing operations for the next zone 24b to be fractured. This process of incorporating actual data and improving subsequent models, simulations and actual processes can be used for the remaining zones 24c, 24d, 24e, 24f.
The models and simulations can provide information to, among other things, determine and preferably optimize: the perforation pattern, e.g., the location, angle, and radial orientation of the perforations; the hydraulic fracture operation, e.g., the parameters and conditions that will provide the larges fracture area, and thus, preferably, drain the largest amount of hydrocarbons from the formation; and, well placement and spacing in the field or reservoir to preferably obtain the largest amount of hydrocarbons from the reservoir. It is believed that the present inventions computational augmented reality, formation, borehole, fracturing, mechanical, hydraulic and mechanical-hydraulic embodiments provide a view into downhole conditions, which prior to the present inventions, was unobtainable; and in particular, could not be provided by the use of existing direct measurement technologies.
The computational augmented hydraulic fracture system can determine a fracture zone or area that is oriented in all aspects and dimensions, i.e., along the z, y, z axis, as well as, radial oriented. The augmented fracture zone can be positioned relative to, and based upon, a modeled and simulated fracture plane to enhance the placement of perforations and the fracturing area with respect to the borehole and the formation.
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More preferably a model and simulation of the formation surrounding the fracture plane 408 is constructed. This model and simulation provides additional information for the development of an augmented perforation and fracturing operation. For example, significant tortuosity may be shown from the model and simulation as being present adjacent the borehole. Based upon the model and simulation augmented perforations are made in the casing 402 and the formation is augmented hydraulically fractured to minimize, and preferably eliminate, the tortuosity.
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In a embodiment of an real time evolving model and simulation, and real time evolving augmented fracture operation, a mini-hydraulic fracture is performed and the pressure and flow characteristics of that fracture are evaluated. This measured data is used by embodiments of the solution system to refine and enhance the model and simulation. The angle and direction of the perforations can then be adjusted and made in the casing and formation. A second mini-hydraulic fracture is then performed and the pressure and flow characteristics of that fracture are evaluated. This procedure of perforation, mini-fracture and model and simulation adjustment is continued until the augmented well performance is optimized.
Embodiments of the models and simulations provided by the solution systems can be used to drill an augmented well. The critical path of drilling the augmented well is reduced, and the measured depth of the augmented well is reduced, by the ability to optimize the position and orientation of the borehole in the formation, and in particular to optimize the position and orientation based upon the mechanical and hydro-mechanical modeled properties of the formation. Thus, turning to
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Although the embodiments of the prior figures are shown as essentially horizontal well, it is understood that those teachings, as well as other teaching in this specification, and the present inventions are applicable to vertical wells, and wells of any other orientation. It is also understood that although simple volumetric shapes, ellipsoids, rectangles, cylinders, are shown in the figures, more complex volumetric shapes are envisioned and can be utilized.
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In general, an embodiment of the solution system has a client segment that has data input pathways, a pathway for user input and a pathway for providing output information, which preferably is in the form of virtual information, predictive information, and most preferably both types of information. The client segment can be for example a personal computer, a hand held device, a smart phone, a tablet, a dedicate terminal, or any other device that has basic computing capabilities, e.g., a processor and memory. The client segment may be partially, substantially, or entirely based on a remote system, such as the cloud, i.e., cloud based. The client segment may be self-contained and located entirely within a dedicated terminal, for example located in a remote unit or field unit. The client segment, e.g., its functionality, may also be distributed between several other segments, components or equipment in the solution system.
The data input pathway can be any way of communicating data from one location or repository into the client segment and the solution system, e.g., wired, wireless, and electromechanical (e.g., a portable memory device, USB device, or other electronic device that is directly physically connected, e.g., plugged-in, to the client segment). The data input pathway should also use be via a protocol or communication language that can handle the type of data being used. In some applications this preferably means being able to transmit and and use data and information in the format that the particular industry has been previously using. Additionally, for different types of data, which may prove beneficiation for use in the analysis, different types of protocals may be employed. Thus, for example sonic geological readings, well logs, and flow rates from nearby wells, may all be in different file formats or communicated via different protocols. Preferably, the solution systems, and specifically the customer segment, can handle and process all of these; or have the ability to strip tags, identifiers, meta data, etc., from the incoming stream of information in a manner that permits use of, and preferable full use of, the incoming information.
The output path way may be any way in which data is transmitted to a device for displaying or utilizing that data, e.g., e.g., wired, wireless, and electromechanical (e.g., a portable memory device, USB device, or other electronic device that is directly physically connected, e.g., plugged-in, to the client segment). The output information may be displayed on an HMI (Human Machine Interface), a GUI (Graphic User Interface), printed (for example, as an operations protocol or plan such as a hydraulic fracturing operation, or a reservoir manage strategy), or a set of instruction to operate a process, machinery or equipment (for example, to perform a predetermined procedure on a subject, such as a hydraulic fracturing operation on a well). Preferably, in some embodiments, the output is displayed as a 3-D model that is rotatable and viewable from all sides, and thus provides a virtual 3-D view on a 2-D screen. The output may also be displayed in a true 3-D fashion, such as by using a 3-D monitor, 3-D TV, or holograph. The output may also be provided to a 3-D printer to build a 3-D model of the subject of the virtual information (e.g., a fracture pattern extending out from the well bore in a formation). The output pathway may be associated with a memory device or storage device where can be held, preferably securely held, for later use by an authorized user.
As with the other components of the solution system, the output pathway, the input pathway and the devices associated with them, may be partially, substantially, or entirely based on a remote system, such as the cloud, i.e., cloud based. The pathways and associated devices may be self-contained and located entirely within a dedicated terminal, for example located in a remote unit or field unit. The functionality of the output pathway, the input pathway and their associated devices, may also be distributed between several other segments, components or equipment in the solution system.
In general, an embodiment of the solution system has a memory or storage device. This device should preferable be able to store input data, calculated data (e.g., synthetic or virtual analysis, synthetic or virtual lithography, and computed lithography). For calculated data, the storage device should be able to store and quickly access, interim data (data upon which subsequent processing steps may take place), final data (data upon which no further processing steps may take place) and combinations and variations of these. In being recognized that, some final data may be sufficient for less complex models or simulations. As such the data is final as to that model. However, if models of greater complexity are required, “final” data may be considers as interim data and subjected to further processing. Thus, depending upon its relationship to the model, data may be final or interim.
As with the other components of the solution system, the memory or storage device, may be partially, substantially, or entirely based on a remote system, such as the cloud, i.e., cloud based. The memory or storage device may be self-contained and located entirely within a dedicated terminal, for example located in a remote unit or field unit. The functionality of the memory or storage device may also be distributed between several other segments, components or equipment in the solution system.
The solution system may be operation in, have, or utilize, a super computer.
In general, an embodiment of the solution system has an orchestration segment. The orchestration segment facilitates and handles the transfer of information and data (e.g., input data, interim data and final data) between various computation engines, and preferably the memory device, the client segment, or both.
As with the other components of the solution system, the orchestration segment, may be partially, substantially, or entirely based on a remote system, such as the cloud, i.e., cloud based. The orchestration segment may be self-contained and located entirely within a dedicated terminal, for example located in a remote unit or field unit. The functionality of the orchestration segment may also be distributed between several other segments, components or equipment in the solution system.
In general the orchestration segment is operationally associated with one or more engines. These engines perform computations on the input data and interim data, as well as, fit, select or adapt such data to usable or predictive forms. The engines may be for example programs that are designed to perform complex mathematical algorithms or processes. These complex computations are performed on the input data, provided a computed output data to the orchestration program, which then routes the computed output data to a second or subsequent engine to perform other computations, rendering, analysis, and combinations and variations of these. In this manner the orchestration segment is preferably designed, tailored, or tailorable (customizable) for specific problems, data, and outcomes. Thus, for example the orchestration program for determining the flow through desalinization plants, and the associate rate of scale deposition, and models for mitigation of such scale, would most likely be different from the orchestration program for planning a hydraulic fracturing treatment of a well.
The engines may be proprietary software that is purchased, presently available or later developed. Preferably, the engines are open source software packages, applications or software. In this manner, cost saving can be obtained by utilizing the most up to date and available engines, and at reduced, to no cost. Further, the orchestration program has the ability, and capability, to utilized different open source engines as need. In this manner the orchestration program in general, and preferably, selects the best individual engines for a particular task, subtask, or calculation, and by typically controlling the data and information submitted to the engine(s) and the order or manner in which that data, and computed results, are routed through the varies engines and their associated processes, constructs the end result of the desired virtual representation of the problem, e.g., the out put information, such as a hydraulic fracturing plan, a 3-D (2D view) representation of fracture lithography, or an actual 3-D model of the fracture profile, e.g., a calculated augmented model, simulation, plan, operation, activity, process and combinations of these. Further, by using open source software, the system is assured, or has a substantially better opportunity, to have the best and most up to date, computational tools to select and utilize.
Additionally, because embodiments of the present inventions may utilize open source systems (note that proprietary systems can as readily be used, and unless specifically limited, it should be assumed that open source, proprietary, and hybrids thereof are contemplated), because of the manner of distributing or selling them, or not distributing and not selling them, may remove them from being subject to the various license provisions, that some may assert may attach to open source software. The various open source licenses are not applicable to the present inventions. Those licenses have no bearing upon, and do not in any manner limit, the scope of protect to be afforded the present inventions.
Turning now to
For example, the engines can be one or more of the following, LAPACK, DORSAL, DOLFIN, OPM, MRST, UFL, FIAT, INSTANT, FFC, DUNE, GCC OPENMP, LLVM, OPENMP, openMPI, PETSC, SLEPC, UMFPACK, CHOLMOD, SCOTCH, METIS, CGAL, ZLIB, PYTHON, HDF5, QT, GMSH, BOOST, EIGEN, NUMPY, SCIPY, MUMPS, and Node.JS to name a few.
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The results of utilizing the solution system may be in the form of a computational augmented hydraulic fracturing plan or treatment, having various stages, pressure, proppant characteristics etc., that are then carried out by operators, e.g., a computational augmented hydraulic fracturing operation, activity or process. The results, may also be in the form of operation instructions to the control network to operate the various fracturing equipment automatically, and according the fracturing plan that the the solution system developed.
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The segments may also include a 3D Web Visualization Toolkit 3020, for example ParaView. In general, distinct from the Web-Based User Interface, the 3D Web Visualization Toolkit allows for complex interactions with dynamic, animated 3D models of various physical systems such as geomechanical and petroleum reservoir systems, fracture networks, fluid flow regimes, and particle transport simulations, etc.
Access can be provided to devices in accord with their capabilities, from phones and tablets with poor 3D graphics capabilities on slow cellular connections to powerful workstation computers specializing in 3D graphics connected directly to high-speed Internet backbones. The segments may also include a Well Input Data 3030, for example Various. In addition to information directly entered by users of the system, the primary source documents contemplated include industry standard well log files in .las format as well as 3D seismic and microimaging/microresistity logs in raw and/or raster format.
The segments may also include a Document Data Store 3040, for example MongoDB. A Scalable Multi-tenant Document Data Store is used to store all user data in the cloud. Sensitive documents particular to a specific user or client organization may be encrypted using either server side keys or client side keys rendering other users of the system, and potentially even the cloud system administrators themselves, unable to access client data.
The segments may also include a Document Data Store Data Adapter 3050, for example mGo. The Document Data Store Data Adapter provides access to the Document Data Store to the underlying orchestration layer.
The segments may also include a Orchestration Layer 3060, for example GoSim/LibSim, which coordinates the activities of, and mediates communication between, components of the system via a standardized document-centric model in a highly scalable, parallel manner capable of utilizing large numbers of processors and servers to accomplish thousands of tasks simultaneously. Component communication is intermediated in such a way as to provide an optimal combination of performance, reliability, and compatibility while complying with the specific terms of each components proprietary and open source licenses.
The segments may also include a 3D Seismic Data Analysis and Visualization Toolkit 3070, for example OpenDTect, which converts raw acoustic seismic data to 3D point data including one or more scalar values for each along with other artifacts. Additional functionality translates this raw data through multiple steps yielding ultimately a formal mathematical representation of induced fracture networks as well as various other inferable subsurface geological features. Post-processing functionality helps create more meaningful visualizations.
The segments may also include a Well Log Analyzer 3080, a Geostatistics Library 309 (e.g., GSTL), a Meshing System 3100, a Meshing Library 3110 (e.g., CGAL), a Alternate Meshing Library 3120 (e.g., Gmsh), a Fracture Simulator 3130, a Fracture Mechanics Library 3140 (e.g., FENiCS), a Algebraic Multigrid Pre-conditioner 3150 (e.g., AMG), and a Petroleum Reservoir Simulator 3160 (e.g., OPM).
In an embodiment of the solution system packages such as FEniCS, Gmesh, CGAL, Paraview, Meteor, Node, JS and MondoDB can be used. These packages may also have dependencies, such as Boost, Numpy, Eigen, and HDF5 to name a few.
In a preferred embodiment the applications can use nonstandard domain representations. In this embodiment data can be, and is often used, in the form of a statistically generated interpolant or discrete 3-D image. A mesh of the surface may be utilized for some fracture simulations. In these situations the fracture simulations can be coupled and the coupling term is generally the solution to a system on the surface mesh. Thus, CGAL and Gmsh, by way of example, can be used. Gmsh can be used for meshing volumes having 3-D isosurfaces (of a continuous interpolant) and CGAL can be used to handle discrete, grey scale voxel images. Gmsh can also be used for unstructured 2-D meshing of surfaces with boundary.
In a preferred embodiment an extended finite element method can be utilized. XFEM (which grew out of the partition of unity method (PUM)) can be used. XFEM is preferred, however, it is one one example of the method in FEM, in which prior knowledge of a solution is incorporated into an approximation space to increase the accuracy of the approximation, to capture some behavior that is now well described by a given (e.g., polynomial) FEM approximation, and both. Preferably, this approximation is enlarged in a problem specific manner, e.g., in XFEM via enrichment. Thus XFEM preferably can be utilized in for surfaces and interfaces having complicated stationary, moving and both interfaces. For example, XFEM can be used for such situations as: multi-phase, immiscible fluid flows; fluid-structure interactions; structural simulations of materials with complex voids and inclusions; and dislocations, fractures, and laminate interfaces. Thus, surfaces at which the solutions can be expected to have a discontinuity of some order are built into the mesh. For fractures, generally, care should be taken because of their slit like geometry. For moving surfaces, typically, the mesh further needs to deformed (for very small motion) and regenerated completely (larger motions). XFEM is preferred, among other reasons, because it provides for the independent generation of surfaces and of the mesh. Thus, as the problem only knows about the surfaces through the construction of forms, the surface can be subsequently evolved without changing the FEM mesh. In this manner only the forms need to be reconstructed. Preferably, if the enrichment is local, it is theorized that only a subset of the matrix entries will be modified when the surfaces change position.
In a preferred embodiment the XFEM is a FEM that has been modified with the addition of extra basic functions
These additional functions can only be linearly independent of each other and the FEM basis, and in the space of the continuum solution. For surfaces where in is anticipated that there could be a strong discontinuity the above function can take the form, for example as follows:
In the above H is the Heavisibe function and s is a smooth function that changes sign at the surface, typically the signed distance of x to the surface. H is also called the enrichment function. Because H can be plus or minus 1 over most of the domain functions N*H is identical to N, except where the support of N intersects the surface. The index j ranges over only these N.
In a preferred embodiment XFEM in implemented in the FEniCS project. Thus, the PUM library functionality can be placed in dolphin. In addition to the integration of the PUM library, overlapping mesh project of Massing et al., and the CutFEM proect of Burman et al. can be utilized.
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For implicit representations of the surface, the following two level set functions can be utilized.
Surface function, which defines a plane.
φ(x, y, z)=x
Tip function, which locates the edger.
ψ(x, y, z)=(y/a)2+(z/b)2−1
In the forgoing embodiment: linear elasticity is presumed; w=fracture width; a, b+principal radii (a<b); P=applied pressure; E, nu=material properties (e.g., homogeneous, isotropic); E[k]=complete elliptic integral of second kind (one quarter of ellipse circumference in units of a).
When developing hydraulic fracturing models, simulations, and predictive well production, based upon the models, in general, data such as the depth of the well (true vertical depth and measured depth), casing internal diameter, stress profile of the rocks in the formation (Poisson's ratio and Young's modules), temperature of the formation, permeability of the formation, effective drainage distance, to name a few, can be used as input data. Thus, for example, data from a well log, seismic data, micro-seismic data and core samples may be used.
The present solution systems can provide a model or simulation of the effective fracture length and height for a particular fracturing treatment in a particular formation. This result can be very useful in predicting and evaluating the usefulness and effectiveness of that fracturing treatment. The treatment can be refined, and then the refined treatment modeled again to determine if a better fracturing profile is obtained, e.g., greater fracture, propped and thus drainage area.
The various embodiments of solution systems, devices, software and configurations, and systems, methods, devices, activities and operations set forth in this specification may be used for various oil field operations, other mineral and resource recovery field, as well as other activities and in other fields. Additionally, these embodiments, for example, may be used with: oil field systems, operations or activities that may be developed in the future; and with existing oil field systems, operations or activities which may be modified, in-part, based on the teachings of this specification. Further, the various embodiments set forth in this specification may be used with each other in different and various combinations. Thus, for example, the configurations provided in the various embodiments of this specification may be used with each other; and the scope of protection afforded the present inventions should not be limited to a particular embodiment, configuration or arrangement that is set forth in a particular embodiment, example, or in an embodiment in a particular Figure.
The inventions may be embodied in other forms than those specifically disclosed herein without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive.
This application claims under 35 U.S.C. §119(e)(1) the benefit of the filing date of Jun. 16, 2014 of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/012,966, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62012966 | Jun 2014 | US |
