Systems and methods for calibrating well-completion techniques

Abstract

A method for a completion operation of a well includes performing, by a simulator, an initial simulation based on geological data and an input parameter, the initial simulation providing simulated net pressure values for the well; receiving an indication of an actual net pressure value in the well; adjusting, by an RL agent, the input parameter to the simulator based on a difference between the actual net pressure value and a corresponding simulated net pressure value; performing an updated simulation based on the geological data and the adjusted input parameter, the updated simulation providing updated simulated net pressure values; iteratively adjusting the input parameter to the simulator, with the corresponding simulated net pressure value being from the updated simulated net pressure values; and providing an indication of an event at the well based on the actual net pressure value and the corresponding simulated net pressure value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for a completion operation of a well, the method comprising:
 a) performing, by a simulator, an initial simulation based on geological data of the well and an input parameter, wherein the initial simulation provides simulated net pressure values as a function of time for the well;   b) receiving an indication of an actual net pressure value in the well;   c) adjusting, by a reinforcement learning (RL) agent, the input parameter to the simulator based on a difference between the actual net pressure value and a corresponding simulated net pressure value;   d) performing, by the simulator, an updated simulation based on the geological data of the well and the adjusted input parameter, wherein the updated simulation provides updated simulated net pressure values as a function of time for the well;   e) iteratively adjusting the input parameter to the simulator by repeating step c) and step d), with the corresponding simulated net pressure value being from the updated simulated net pressure values; and   f) providing an indication of an event at the well based on the actual net pressure value and the corresponding simulated net pressure value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the event at the well comprises a tip screen-out event, and wherein the indication is provided responsive to the difference between the actual net pressure value and the corresponding simulated net pressure value being less than a first threshold amount, and a slope of actual net pressure values deviating from a slope of simulated net pressure values by more than a second threshold amount. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a recommendation to an operator to adjust a pump rate, a surface pressure, or a proppant volume to achieve a particular net pressure gain following the event. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically adjusting a pump rate, a surface pressure, a proppant volume, or combinations thereof responsive to the event. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, before step a), performing a well logging operation to generate the geological data for the initial simulation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a time associated with the corresponding simulated net pressure value is approximately the same as a time associated with the actual net pressure value. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input parameter comprises a modulus of the well, a toughness of the well, a stress of the well, a leakoff coefficient of the well, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the difference between the actual net pressure value and the corresponding simulated net pressure value comprises a mean squared error calculation. 
     
     
         9 . A system for a completion operation for a well extending through a subterranean earthen formation, the system comprising:
 a surface pump configured to pressurize a fluid to a downhole net pressure measurable by a sensor package;   a fluid line extending between the surface pump and a wellhead positioned at an upper end of the well, wherein the fluid line is configured to flow the fluid into the well; and   a monitoring system in signal communication with the sensor package and comprising a reinforcement learning (RL) frac packing module stored in a memory of the monitoring system, wherein the RL frac packing module is configured to:
 a) perform an initial simulation based on geological data of the well and an input parameter, wherein the initial simulation provides simulated net pressure values as a function of time for the well; 
 b) receive an indication of an actual net pressure value in the well; 
 c) adjust the input parameter based on a difference between the actual net pressure value and a corresponding simulated net pressure value; 
 d) perform an updated simulation based on the geological data of the well and the adjusted input parameter, wherein the updated simulation provides updated simulated net pressure values as a function of time for the well; 
 e) iteratively adjust the input parameter by repeating step c) and step d), with the corresponding simulated net pressure value being from the updated simulated net pressure values; and 
 f) provide an indication of an event at the well based on the actual net pressure value and the corresponding simulated net pressure value. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the event at the well comprises a tip screen-out event, and wherein the indication is provided responsive to the difference between the actual net pressure value and the corresponding simulated net pressure value being less than a first threshold amount, and a slope of actual net pressure values deviating from a slope of simulated net pressure values by more than a second threshold amount. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the RL frac packing module is further configured to provide a recommendation to an operator to adjust a pump rate, a surface pressure, or a proppant volume to achieve a particular net pressure gain following the event. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the RL frac packing module is further configured to automatically adjust a pump rate of the surface pump, a surface pressure, a proppant volume, or combinations thereof responsive to the event. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a time associated with the corresponding simulated net pressure value is approximately the same as a time associated with the actual net pressure value. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the input parameter comprises a modulus of the well, a toughness of the well, a stress of the well, a leakoff coefficient of the well, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the difference between the actual net pressure value and the corresponding simulated net pressure value comprises a mean squared error calculation. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 a) perform an initial simulation based on geological data of a well extending through a subterranean earthen formation and based on an input parameter, wherein the initial simulation provides simulated net pressure values as a function of time for the well;   b) receive an indication of an actual net pressure value in the well;   c) adjust the input parameter based on a difference between the actual net pressure value and a corresponding simulated net pressure value;   d) perform an updated simulation based on the geological data of the well and the adjusted input parameter, wherein the updated simulation provides updated simulated net pressure values as a function of time for the well;   e) iteratively adjust the input parameter by repeating step c) and step d), with the corresponding simulated net pressure value being from the updated simulated net pressure values; and   f) provide an indication of an event at the well based on the actual net pressure value and the corresponding simulated net pressure value.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the event at the well comprises a tip screen-out event, and wherein the indication is provided responsive to the difference between the actual net pressure value and the corresponding simulated net pressure value being less than a first threshold amount, and a slope of actual net pressure values deviating from a slope of simulated net pressure values by more than a second threshold amount. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to provide a recommendation to an operator to adjust a pump rate, a surface pressure, or a proppant volume to achieve a particular net pressure gain following the event. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to automatically adjust a pump rate, a surface pressure, a proppant volume, or combinations thereof responsive to the event. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein a time associated with the corresponding simulated net pressure value is approximately the same as a time associated with the actual net pressure value.