US 11,875,283 B2
Connectivity based approach for field development optimization
Hui Zhou, Houston, TX (US); Curt Schneider, Houston, TX (US); and Iman Shahim, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Oct. 5, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/725,821.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/408,325, filed on Oct. 14, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2018/0107952 A1, Apr. 19, 2018
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/04 (2023.01); G06Q 10/0631 (2023.01); E21B 43/00 (2006.01); G06Q 10/047 (2023.01); G06Q 10/06 (2023.01); G06F 30/20 (2020.01)
CPC G06Q 10/04 (2013.01) [E21B 43/00 (2013.01); G06F 30/20 (2020.01); G06Q 10/047 (2013.01); G06Q 10/06 (2013.01); G06Q 10/06313 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for improving hydrocarbon recovery from an oil and gas field, comprising:
initializing a connectivity model;
calibrating the connectivity model based on a plurality of reservoir simulation results;
determining a travel time between wells and reservoir cells using a fast marching method;
determining a hydrocarbon saturation based on the travel time to construct a model prediction;
wherein the connectivity model uses a global optimization and a local optimization;
determining the location of wells in order to optimize efficiency and maintain well safety;
drilling one or more hydrocarbon wells at said locations in order to optimize efficiency and maintain well safety; and
improving the efficiency of hydrocarbon recovery for said one or more hydrocarbon wells,
wherein said connectivity model reduces the computational expense and improves modeling accuracy.