Method for estimation of flow rate and water cut

Abstract

A method to measure flow rate and water cut (WC) of a well includes: from a data set, for depths of two pressure gauges installed in the well, acquiring simulated pressures and corresponding simulated flow rates and simulated WCs; measuring pressures at the depths of the two pressure gauges via the two pressure gauges; comparing the measured pressures with the acquired simulated pressures, by calculating error values for the measured pressures with respect to the acquired simulated pressures; obtaining simulated flow rates and simulated WCs that correspond to the calculated error values not greater than a threshold; and averaging the simulated flow rates and simulated WCs that correspond to the simulated pressures that have the error values not greater than the threshold, to acquire an estimated flow rate and an estimated WC at the depths of the two pressure gauges.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to measure flow rate and water cut (WC) of a well, the method comprising:
 from a data set, for depths of two pressure gauges installed in the well, acquiring simulated pressures and corresponding simulated flow rates and simulated WCs;   measuring pressures at the depths of the two pressure gauges via the two pressure gauges;   comparing the measured pressures with the acquired simulated pressures, by calculating error values for the measured pressures with respect to the acquired simulated pressures;   obtaining simulated flow rates and simulated WCs that correspond to the calculated error values not greater than a threshold; and   averaging the simulated flow rates and simulated WCs that correspond to the simulated pressures that have the error values not greater than the threshold, to acquire an estimated flow rate and an estimated WC at the depths of the two pressure gauges.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising interpolating the acquired simulated pressures and the corresponding simulated flow rates and simulated WCs. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the depths of the two pressure gauges are below a bubble point depth of an extracted fluid of the well. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sorting the acquired simulated flow rates and simulated WCs based on the calculated error values. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising sorting the acquired simulated flow rates and simulated WCs based on the calculated error values. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising installing the two pressure gauges inside the well. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the two pressure gauges are installed inside a tubing of the well where hydrocarbon fluid flows. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising developing a calibrated hydraulic simulation model that includes the data set. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the hydraulic simulation model is calibrated to capture current completion, reservoir depth, and flow rate and WC at the depths of the two pressure gauges. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the two pressure gauges are permanent downhole measurement systems. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the two pressure gauges include a first pressure gauge and a second pressure gauge,   the measured pressures include a first measured pressure for the first pressure gauge and a second measured pressure for the second pressure gauge, and   each of the error values is calculated by comparing the first measured pressure with a simulated pressure for a depth of the first pressure gauge and by comparing the second measured pressure with a simulated pressure for a depth of the second pressure gauge.   
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) storing instructions for performing operation that measures flow rate and water cut (WC) of a well, the operation comprising:
 from a data set, for depths of two pressure gauges installed in the well, acquiring simulated pressures and corresponding simulated flow rates and simulated WCs;   measuring pressures at the depths of the two pressure gauges via the two pressure gauges;   comparing the measured pressures with the acquired simulated pressures, by calculating error values for the measured pressures with respect to the acquired simulated pressures;   obtaining simulated flow rates and simulated WCs that correspond to the calculated error values not greater than a threshold; and   averaging the simulated flow rates and simulated WCs that correspond to the simulated pressures that have the error values not greater than the threshold, to acquire an estimated flow rate and an estimated WC at the depths of the two pressure gauges.   
     
     
         13 . The CRM of  claim 12 , wherein the operation further comprises interpolating the acquired simulated pressures and the corresponding simulated flow rates and simulated WCs. 
     
     
         14 . The CRM of  claim 12 , wherein the depths of the two pressure gauges are below a bubble point depth of an extracted fluid of the well. 
     
     
         15 . The CRM of  claim 12 , wherein the two pressure gauges are installed inside a tubing of the well where hydrocarbon fluid flows. 
     
     
         16 . The CRM of  claim 12 , wherein the operation further comprises sorting the acquired simulated flow rates and simulated WCs based on the calculated error values. 
     
     
         17 . The CRM of  claim 14 , wherein
 the two pressure gauges include a first pressure gauge and a second pressure gauge,   the measured pressures include a first measured pressure for the first pressure gauge and a second measured pressure for the second pressure gauge, and   each of the error values is calculated by comparing the first measured pressure with a simulated pressure for a depth of the first pressure gauge and by comparing the second measured pressure with a simulated pressure for a depth of the second pressure gauge.   
     
     
         18 . The CRM of  claim 12 , wherein the operation further comprises developing a calibrated hydraulic simulation model that includes the data set. 
     
     
         19 . The CRM of  claim 18 , wherein the hydraulic simulation model is calibrated to capture current completion, reservoir depth, and flow rate and WC at the depths of the two pressure gauges. 
     
     
         20 . The CRM of  claim 12 , wherein the two pressure gauges are permanent downhole measurement systems.