System and Method for Crossflow Detection and Intervention in Production Wellbores

Abstract

A system and method for managing a production from a wellbore that includes taking measurements relating to one or more selected parameters for each of the production zones over a time period and determining the occurrence of the cross flow in the wellbore using a trend of the one or more of the measurements. The system includes a processor that receives information relating to the measurements made over time relating to the selected parameters, wherein the processor determines or predicts the occurrence of the cross flow from a trend of at least one of the measurements.

1 . A method of detecting cross flow in a wellbore, comprising:
 taking at least one first measurement indicative of a first parameter of a first production zone;   taking at least one second measurement indicative of a second parameter of a second production zone; and   determining an occurrence of a cross flow condition from a trend relating to at least one of the first measurement and the second measurement.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first parameter or the second selected parameter is selected from a group consisting of: (i) pressure; (ii) temperature; and (iii) fluid flow rate. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the occurrence of a cross flow condition comprises using a nodal analysis to predict the occurrence of the cross flow condition. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 taking the at least one first measurement and the at least one second measurement over a time period;   determining a rate of change of one of the at least one first measurement and the at least one second measurement; and   predicting the occurrence of the cross flow condition based at least in part on the determined rate of change of the at least one of the at least one first measurement and the at least one second measurement.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising sending an alarm condition indicating the cross flow condition. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining a change in an operation of at least one flow control device associated with the wellbore, which change when made is expected to at least reduce an effect of the cross flow condition. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising performing at least one operation to reduce an effect of the cross flow, which operation is selected from a group consisting of: (i) closing a choke; (ii) changing frequency of an electrical submersible pump; (iii) operating a valve; (iv) changing supply amount of an additive to the wellbore; (v) closing at least one of the first and second production zones; (vi) isolating at least one of the first and second production zones; (vi) decreasing a surface pressure; and (vii) opening a surface choke. 
   
   
       8 . A computer-readable medium accessible to a processor for executing instructions contained in a computer program embedded in the computer-readable medium, the computer program comprising:
 instructions to receive information relating to a first measurement indicative of a selected parameter of a first production zone and second measurement indicative of a selected parameter of a second production zone; and   instructions to determine occurrence of a cross flow condition from a trend relating to at least one of the first measurement and the second measurement.   
   
   
       9 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the selected parameter is chosen from a group consisting of: (i) pressure; (ii) temperature; and (iii) fluid flow rate. 
   
   
       10 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to use a nodal analysis to determine the occurrence of the cross flow condition. 
   
   
       11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the first measurement and the second measurement are taken over a time period, and wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to determine a rate of change of one of the first measurement and the second measurement; and
 instructions to determine the occurrence of the cross flow condition based at least in part on the determined rate of change of at least one of the first measurement and the second measurement.   
   
   
       12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to generate one or more recommendations that include at least one of: (i) close a choke; (ii) change frequency or speed of an electrical submersible pump; (iii) operate a valve; (iv) change supply amount of an additive to the wellbore; (v) close a production zone; (vi) isolate a production zone; (vi) decrease surface pressure; and (vii) open a surface choke. 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus for managing production from a wellbore, comprising:
 a processor that receives an input relating to a first measurement of a selected parameter corresponding to a first production zone and a second measurement relating to a selected parameter for the second production zone, each of the first and the second production zones producing a formation fluid into the wellbore, wherein the processor determines an occurrence of a cross flow condition in the wellbore from a trend relating to at the least one of the first measurement and the second measurement.   
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the selected parameters for the first production zone and the second production zone are chosen from a group consisting of: (i) pressure; (ii) temperature; and (iii) fluid flow rate. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the processor uses a model and performs a nodal analysis to determine the occurrence of the cross flow condition. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first measurement and the second measurement each is taken over a time period and wherein the processor:
 determines a rate of change of one of the first measurement and the second measurement; and   determines the occurrence of the cross flow condition based at least in part on the determined rate of change of at least one of the first measurement and the second measurement.   
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the processor further sends an alarm condition in response to the determination of cross flow condition. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the processor further determines a desired change in an operation of at least one device associated with the wellbore, which change when made is expected to at least reduce an adverse effect of the cross flow condition. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the processor further sends signals for performing at least one operation in response to the determination of the occurrence of the cross flow condition, which operation is selected from a group consisting of: (i) operating a choke; (ii) changing a frequency or speed of an electrical submersible pump; (iii) operating a downhole valve; (iv) changing supply amount of an additive to the wellbore; (v) closing at least one of the production zones; (vi) isolating at least one of the production zones; (vi) decreasing a surface pressure; and (vii) opening a surface choke. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a computer program on a computer-readable medium accessible to the processor for executing instructions contained in the computer program, wherein the computer program includes a model to perform nodal analysis to predict the occurrence of the cross flow.