Reservoir simulation system and method

Abstract

The present disclosure describes an efficient process through which knowledge gleaned from prior reservoir simulations may be captured and applied to future simulations with or without user involvement. A plurality of reservoir simulation categories may be defined and stored to a database. In one embodiment, reservoir simulation data may be captured and analyzed in order to identify process steps and/or workflows for each category of stored reservoir simulations. Upon starting a new reservoir simulation, the system may identify the category of the simulation at issue and query the database in order to identify stored process steps and/or workflows applicable thereto. The stored process steps and/or workflows may then be applied to the new reservoir simulation automatically or by providing suggestions and/or recommendation to the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for conducting reservoir simulations comprising:
 identifying one or more workflows utilized in connection with one or more reservoir simulations;   storing the identified workflows to a computer database; and   applying at least one of the identified workflows to a subsequent reservoir simulation.   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the workflows comprise a plurality of reservoir simulation process steps. 
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the workflows are identified using voice recognition or eye tracking. 
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the identified workflows are associated with one or more reservoir simulation categories. 
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a reservoir simulation category associated with the identified workflow and the subsequent reservoir simulation; and   wherein the reservoir simulation category of the identified workflow substantially matches the reservoir simulation category of the subsequent reservoir simulation.   
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the reservoir simulation category further comprises a reservoir type, a simulation type, and one or more simulation parameters. 
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the reservoir type further comprises fluid, porosity and permeability properties of the reservoir. 
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the reservoir type further comprises a plurality of geological properties of the reservoir. 
     
     
         9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the simulation type comprises a history matching simulation or a thermal simulation. 
     
     
         10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the identified workflows are applied to the subsequent reservoir simulation by providing recommendations to a user. 
     
     
         11 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the identified workflows are applied to the subsequent reservoir simulation automatically without user intervention. 
     
     
         12 . A reservoir simulation system comprising:
 a processor operative to:
 identify one or more workflows utilized in connection with one or more reservoir simulations; 
 store the identified workflows to a computer database; and 
 apply at least one of the identified workflows to a subsequent reservoir simulation, wherein at least one reservoir simulation category associated with the identified workflow substantially matches at least one reservoir simulation category associated with the subsequent reservoir simulation. 
   
     
     
         13 . The reservoir simulation system of  claim 12 , wherein one or more of the workflows are identified using voice recognition or eye tracking. 
     
     
         14 . The reservoir simulation system of  claim 12 , wherein the reservoir simulation categories further comprise reservoir type, simulation type, and simulation parameters. 
     
     
         15 . The reservoir simulation system of  claim 12 , wherein the identified workflows are applied to the subsequent reservoir simulation by providing recommendations to a user. 
     
     
         16 . The reservoir simulation system of  claim 12 , wherein the identified workflows are applied to the subsequent reservoir simulation automatically without user intervention. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium for conducting reservoir simulations comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device to:
 identifying one or more workflows utilized in connection with one or more reservoir simulations;   storing the identified workflows to a computer database;   determining a reservoir simulation category associated with the identified workflow and a subsequent reservoir simulation; and   applying at least one of the identified workflows to a subsequent reservoir simulation, wherein the reservoir simulation category of the identified workflow substantially matches the reservoir simulation category of the subsequent reservoir simulation.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the reservoir simulation category further comprises a reservoir type, a simulation type, and one or more simulation parameters. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the reservoir type further comprises a plurality of geological properties of the reservoir. 
     
     
         20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the simulation type comprises a history matching simulation or a thermal simulation.