System and method for estimating flow capacity of a reservoir

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a computer implemented method and system for determining a flow geometry of a subsurface reservoir, as well as a method of hydrocarbon production with flooding. A general embodiment of the disclosure is a method for determining a flow geometry of a subsurface reservoir, the method comprising: (a) receiving production related data for the reservoir, wherein the reservoir is associated with a flooding operation; (b) generation a heterogeneity factor from the production related data; (c) calculating a flow geometry of displacement of hydrocarbons from the reservoir responsive to the heterogeneity factor; and (d) outputting the flow geometry.

1 . A computer-implemented method for determining a flow geometry of a subsurface reservoir, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving production related data for the reservoir, wherein the reservoir is associated with a flooding operation;   (b) generating a heterogeneity factor from the production related data;   (c) calculating a flow geometry of displacement of hydrocarbons from the reservoir responsive to the heterogeneity factor; and   (d) outputting the flow geometry.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heterogeneity factor is at least one of a Koval factor, a Lorenz coefficient, or a Dykstra-Parsons coefficient. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the production related data is at least one of production rate of water, water cut, production rate of oil, production rate of gas, injection pressure, injection volume, temperature, natural tracers, artificial tracers, or tracer proxies. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the Koval factor is generated from the production related data that includes water cut data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein calculating the flow geometry further comprises converting the Koval factor to a Lorenz coefficient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein calculating the flow geometry further comprises minimizing an objective function, and wherein minimizing the objective function comprises minimizing a difference between a field Lorenz coefficient and a modeled Lorenz coefficient. 
       
         
           
             
               F 
               = 
               
                 
                    
                   
                     
                       1 
                       α 
                     
                      
                     
                       [ 
                       
                         
                           ln 
                            
                           
                               
                           
                            
                           Φ 
                         
                         + 
                         
                           
                             ( 
                             
                               1 
                               - 
                               Φ 
                             
                             ) 
                           
                           β 
                         
                       
                       ] 
                     
                   
                 
                 . 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein Φ is less than 0.5. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein data points in the production related data are weighted based on perceived error. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein discrepancies in the production related data are removed from the production related data. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising optimizing operating parameters from the flow geometry. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising locating potential infill opportunities based at least in part on the flow geometry. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising optimizing sweep based at least in part on the flow geometry. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising optimizing size conformance treatment based at least in part on the flow geometry. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flow geometry is a F-Φ curve. 
     
     
         15 . A system for determining a flow geometry of a subsurface reservoir, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing computer executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
 (a) receive production related data for the reservoir, wherein the reservoir is associated with a flooding operation; 
 (b) generate a heterogeneity factor from the production related data; 
 (c) calculate a flow geometry of displacement of hydrocarbons from the reservoir responsive to the heterogeneity factor; and 
 (d) output the flow geometry. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the heterogeneity factor is at least one of a Koval factor, a Lorenz coefficient, or a Dykstra-Parsons coefficient. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the Koval factor is generated from the production related data that includes water cut data. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein calculating the flow geometry further comprises converting the Koval factor to a Lorenz coefficient. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein calculating the flow geometry further comprises minimizing an objective function, and wherein minimizing the objective function comprises minimizing a difference between a field Lorenz coefficient and a modeled Lorenz coefficient 
       
         
           
             
               F 
               = 
               
                 
                    
                   
                     
                       1 
                       α 
                     
                      
                     
                       [ 
                       
                         
                           ln 
                            
                           
                               
                           
                            
                           Φ 
                         
                         + 
                         
                           
                             ( 
                             
                               1 
                               - 
                               Φ 
                             
                             ) 
                           
                           β 
                         
                       
                       ] 
                     
                   
                 
                 . 
               
             
           
         
       
     
     
         20 . A method for hydrocarbon production from a subterrancan reservoir, comprising flooding the subsurface reservoir in accordance with a flow geometry generated by the method of  claim 1 .