# US 11,441,395 B2 · Automated production optimization technique for smart well completions using real-time nodal analysis including real-time modeling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,395 B2 - Document ID: US11441395B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/414,630 - Filed: 2019-05-16 - Published: 2020-11-19 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-16 - Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Inventors: Amer Alanazi; Abdulaziz Al-Qasim; Ahmed Y. Bukhamseen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441395B2 ## CPC - E21B 41/00: Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 - E21B 34/08: responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained (E21B34/10 takes precedence) - E21B 41/0035: {Apparatus or methods for multilateral well technology, e.g. for the completion of or workover on wells with one or more lateral branches} - E21B 43/12: Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) - E21B 43/14: Obtaining from a multiple-zone well - E21B 43/305: {comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well} - E21B 47/06: Measuring temperature or pressure - G01V 20/00: Geomodelling in general - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) ## Abstract Systems and methods include a method providing automated production optimization for smart well completions using real-time nodal analysis including real-time modeling. Real-time well rates and flowing bottom-hole pressure data are collected by a multilateral well optimizing system at various choke settings for multiple flow conditions for each lateral of a multilateral well during regular field optimization procedures. Surface and downhole pressures and production metrics for each of the laterals are recorded for one lateral at a time. A multilateral well production model is calibrated using the surface and downhole pressures and the production metrics for each of the laterals. Flowing parameters of individual laterals are estimated using the multilateral well production model. An optimum pressure drop across each downhole valve is determined using the multilateral well production model. A productivity of each lateral is estimated using the model during the commingled production at various choke valves settings. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for real-time modeling based on nodal analysis of multilateral wells, comprising: collecting, by a multilateral well optimizing system from a multilateral well during regular field optimization procedures, real-time well rates and flowing bottom-hole pressure data at various choke settings for multiple flow conditions for each lateral of the multilateral well; recording, by the multilateral well optimizing system during production of the well and for one lateral at a time, surface and downhole pressures and production metrics for each of the laterals; calibrating, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the surface and downhole pressures and the production metrics for each of the laterals, a multilateral well production model; estimating, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the multilateral well production model, flowing parameters of individual laterals; determining, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the multilateral well production model, an optimum pressure drop across each downhole valve, wherein determining the optimum pressure drop across each downhole valve comprises iteratively: initializing control parameters for the multilateral well; identifying limits for the control parameters; creating initial solutions for the optimum pressure drop across each downhole valve; evaluating, using the multilateral well production model, performance of the initial solutions; ranking the initial solutions according to the value of an objective function; performing a convergence check on the initial solutions; and creating a new instance of a solution using properties of top-performing initial solutions; and estimating, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the multilateral well production model, a productivity of each lateral during the commingled production at various choke valves settings. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the multilateral well production model is implemented using a commercial steady-state model. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the multiple flow conditions include commingled testing and individual lateral testing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising calibrating, using the real-time well rates and the flowing bottom-hole pressure data, a multilateral well production model, including: determining, by the multilateral well optimizing system based at least on the real-time well rates and the flowing bottom-hole pressure data, recommended optimizing changes to downhole inflow control valve (ICV) settings for surface ICVs and subsurface ICVs in one or more laterals of the multilateral well, the optimizing changes designed to optimize production in the multilateral well; and providing, by the multilateral well optimizing system for presentation to a user in a user interface of the multilateral well optimizing system, the recommended optimizing changes to the downhole ICV settings for the surface ICVs and the subsurface ICVs in the one or more laterals of the multilateral well. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, in real time for each of the laterals, a productivity index (PI); determining, using the PIs for the laterals, a commingled PI; and applying the commingled PI to the model. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the commingled PI is based on the productivity of each lateral and the overall productivity of the multilateral well. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the production metrics include oil production rates and water production rates. ### Claim 8 A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations comprising: collecting, by a multilateral well optimizing system from a multilateral well during regular field optimization procedures, real-time well rates and flowing bottom-hole pressure data at various choke settings for multiple flow conditions for each lateral of the multilateral well; recording, by the multilateral well optimizing system during production of the well and for one lateral at a time, surface and downhole pressures and production metrics for each of the laterals; calibrating, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the surface and downhole pressures and the production metrics for each of the laterals, a multilateral well production model; estimating, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the multilateral well production model, flowing parameters of individual laterals; determining, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the multilateral well production model, an optimum pressure drop across each downhole valve, wherein determining the optimum pressure drop across each downhole valve comprises iteratively: initializing control parameters for the multilateral well; identifying limits for the control parameters; creating initial solutions for the optimum pressure drop across each downhole valve; evaluating, using the multilateral well production model, performance of the initial solutions; ranking the initial solutions according to the value of an objective function; performing a convergence check on the initial solutions; and creating a new instance of a solution using properties of top-performing initial solutions; and estimating, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the multilateral well production model, a productivity of each lateral during the commingled production at various choke valves settings. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the multilateral well production model is implemented using a commercial steady-state model. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the multiple flow conditions include commingled testing and individual lateral testing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising calibrating, using the real-time well rates and the flowing bottom-hole pressure data, a multilateral well production model, including: determining, by the multilateral well optimizing system based at least on the real-time well rates and the flowing bottom-hole pressure data, recommended optimizing changes to downhole inflow control valve (ICV) settings for surface ICVs and subsurface ICVs in one or more laterals of the multilateral well, the optimizing changes designed to optimize production in the multilateral well; and providing, by the multilateral well optimizing system for presentation to a user in a user interface of the multilateral well optimizing system, the recommended optimizing changes to the downhole ICV settings for the surface ICVs and the subsurface ICVs in the one or more laterals of the multilateral well. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising: determining, in real time for each of the laterals, a productivity index (PI); determining, using the PIs for the laterals, a commingled PI; and applying the commingled PI to the model. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the commingled PI is based on the productivity of each lateral and the overall productivity of the multilateral well. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the production metrics include oil production rates and water production rates. ### Claim 15 A computer-implemented system, comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing programming instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the programming instructions instructing the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: collecting, by a multilateral well optimizing system from a multilateral well during regular field optimization procedures, real-time well rates and flowing bottom-hole pressure data at various choke settings for multiple flow conditions for each lateral of the multilateral well; recording, by the multilateral well optimizing system during production of the well and for one lateral at a time, surface and downhole pressures and production metrics for each of the laterals; calibrating, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the surface and downhole pressures and the production metrics for each of the laterals, a multilateral well production model; estimating, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the multilateral well production model, flowing parameters of individual laterals; determining, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the multilateral well production model, an optimum pressure drop across each downhole valve, wherein determining the optimum pressure drop across each downhole valve comprises iteratively: initializing control parameters for the multilateral well; identifying limits for the control parameters; creating initial solutions for the optimum pressure drop across each downhole valve; evaluating, using the multilateral well production model, performance of the initial solutions; ranking the initial solutions according to the value of an objective function; performing a convergence check on the initial solutions; and creating a new instance of a solution using properties of top-performing initial solutions; and estimating, by the multilateral well optimizing system using the multilateral well production model, a productivity of each lateral during the commingled production at various choke valves settings. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented system of claim 15, wherein the multilateral well production model is implemented using a commercial steady-state model. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented system of claim 15, wherein the multiple flow conditions include commingled testing and individual lateral testing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented system of claim 15, the operations further comprising calibrating, using the real-time well rates and the flowing bottom-hole pressure data, a multilateral well production model, including: determining, by the multilateral well optimizing system based at least on the real-time well rates and the flowing bottom-hole pressure data, recommended optimizing changes to downhole inflow control valve (ICV) settings for surface ICVs and subsurface ICVs in one or more laterals of the multilateral well, the optimizing changes designed to optimize production in the multilateral well; and providing, by the multilateral well optimizing system for presentation to a user in a user interface of the multilateral well optimizing system, the recommended optimizing changes to the downhole ICV settings for the surface ICVs and the subsurface ICVs in the one or more laterals of the multilateral well. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented system of claim 15, the operations further comprising: determining, in real time for each of the laterals, a productivity index (PI); determining, using the PIs for the laterals, a commingled PI; and applying the commingled PI to the model. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer-implemented system of claim 19, wherein the commingled PI is based on the productivity of each lateral and the overall productivity of the multilateral well.