Methods to perform real-time analysis of fluid flow in a well, methods to perform real-time analysis of a well operation, and real-time well operation systems

Abstract

A method to perform a real-time analysis of fluid flow in a well, includes receiving data simultaneously streamed from a plurality of sensors, and populating a model of the well with the data, where the model has a plurality of parameters that are inputs of the model, and where each parameter being associated with data streamed from a sensor of the plurality of sensors. The method also includes calculating a fluid flow of a fluid flowing through a location of the well based on the model. In response to receiving new data streamed from one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors, the method further includes dynamically calibrating the model in real time based on the new data and calculating an updated fluid flow of the fluid flowing through location of the well based on the recalibrated model.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method to perform a real-time analysis of fluid flow in a well, comprising:
 receiving data simultaneously streamed from a plurality of sensors disposed in a well;   populating a model of the well with the data, wherein the model comprises a plurality of parameters that are inputs of the model, and wherein each parameter of the plurality of parameters is associated with data streamed from a sensor of the plurality of sensors;   calculating a fluid flow of a fluid flowing through a location of the well based on the model; and   in response to receiving new data streamed from one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors:
 dynamically recalibrating the model in real time based on the new data; and 
 calculating an updated fluid flow of the fluid flowing through the location of the well based on the recalibrated model. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein populating the model comprises populating the model while the data is being simultaneously streamed from the plurality of sensors, and wherein calculating the fluid flow comprises calculating the fluid flow while the data is being simultaneously streamed from the plurality of sensors. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the fluid flow of the fluid flowing through the location comprises calculating the fluid flow through the location before the data is stored on a storage medium, and wherein calculating the updated fluid flow of the fluid flowing through the location comprises calculating the fluid flow of the fluid flowing through the location before the updated data is stored on the storage medium. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to receiving the new data, the method further comprising:
 determining a change in a parameter of the plurality of parameters over a period of time; and   dynamically recalibrating the model in real time based on the change in the parameter over the period of time.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to receiving the new data, the method further comprising:
 determining a change in a characteristic of the fluid flow over a period of time; and   dynamically recalibrating the model in real time based on the change in the characteristic of the fluid flow over the period of time.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining if a model is within a threshold range; and   in response to a determination that the output is not within a threshold range, dynamically recalibrating the model to fit the model within the threshold range.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining if a model is within a threshold range; and   in response to a determination that the output is not within a threshold range, requesting a manual recalibration of the model.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the data and the new data comprise data indicative of at least one of a flow rate, a pressure, and a derivative of the pressure over time at the location. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a change in a coefficient of the model; and   in response to a determination that the change is greater than a threshold value, dynamically recalibrating the model in real time.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 projecting a first flow rate at a wellhead based on the model;   determining a second flow rate that is measured at the wellhead;   comparing the first flow rate and the second flow rate; and   in response to a determination that the first flow rate and the second flow rate vary by more than a threshold;
 dynamically recalibrating the model in real time; and 
 calculating an updated fluid flow of the fluid flowing through the location of the well based on the recalibrated model. 
   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 projecting a first pressure at a wellhead based on the model;   determining a second pressure that is measured at the wellhead; and   in response to a determination that the first pressure and the second pressure vary by more than a threshold;
 dynamically recalibrating the model in real time; and 
 calculating an updated fluid flow of the fluid flowing through the location of the well based on the recalibrated model.  20   12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
   analyzing the data and previously received data from the plurality of sensors for a pattern associated with the fluid flow of the fluid;   determining a change to the pattern associated with the fluid flow; and   in response to a determination that the change to the pattern is greater than a threshold, dynamically recalibrating the model in real time.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a flow direction of the fluid flowing through the location of the well based on the model; and   in response to receiving the new data:
 dynamically recalibrating the model in real time based on the new data; and 
 determining the flow direction of the fluid flowing through the location of the well based on the recalibrated model. 
   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 predicting the fluid flow of the fluid within a threshold period of time based on the model; and   in response to receiving the new data, predicting the fluid flow of the fluid within the threshold period of time based on the new data.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein properties of one or more hardware components of the well are parameters of the plurality of parameters, and wherein populating the model of the well with the data comprises populating the model of the well based on the properties of the one or more hardware components. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after recalibrating the model, comparing the model with a digital twin of the well; and   in response to a determination that a property of the model and a corresponding property of the digital twin vary by a threshold range, updating the digital twin based on the model.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the fluid flow comprises calculating a flow rate of a hydrocarbon resource at the location, and wherein calculating the updated fluid flow comprises calculating the updated flow rate of the hydrocarbon resource at the location. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calculating a fluid flow map of fluid flow through a section of the well; and
 in response to receiving new data streamed from the one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors: 
 calculating an updated fluid flow map of fluid flow through the section of the well. 
   
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method to perform a real-time analysis of a well operation, comprising:
 determining, based on data streamed from a plurality of sensors disposed in a well, a presence of a malfunctioning hardware disposed in the well, wherein the data is associated with a plurality of parameters of a model of a well, the model being a digital twin of the well;   determining whether a property of the model is within a threshold range; and   in response to a determination that the model is not within the threshold range:
 determining an improvement to the property of the model; and 
 dynamically recalibrating the model in real time based on the data streamed from the plurality of sensors to improve the property of the model. 
   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein determining the presence of the malfunctioning hardware comprises determining, based on data streamed from the plurality of sensors over a period of time, the presence of the malfunctioning hardware. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , further comprising predicting, based on the model, a fluid flow of a fluid flowing through the well within a threshold period of time. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 performing a fluid flow simulation of a fluid flowing through the well to determine an improvement to a fluid flow of the fluid;   determining an improvement to an existing configuration of the hardware to improve the fluid flow of the fluid; and   providing a recommendation to reconfigure the hardware.   
     
     
         23 . A real-time well operation system, comprising:
 a storage medium; and   one or more processors configured to:
 receive data simultaneously streamed from a plurality of sensors disposed in a well; 
 populate a model of the well with the data, wherein the model comprises a plurality of parameters that are inputs of the model, and wherein each parameter of the plurality of parameters is associated with data streamed from a sensor of the plurality of sensors; 
 calculate a fluid flow of a fluid flowing through a location of the well based on the model; and 
 in response to receiving new data streamed from one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors:
 dynamically recalibrate the model in real time based on the new data; and 
 calculate an updated fluid flow of the fluid flowing through the location of the well based on the recalibrated model. 
 
   
     
     
         24 . The real-time well operation system of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 determine a change in a parameter of the plurality of parameters over a period of time; and   dynamically recalibrate the model in real time based on the change in the parameter over the period of time.