# US 2009/0260880 A1 · Method for determining a set of net present values to influence the drilling of a wellbore and increase production

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- Number: US 2009/0260880 A1
- Document ID: US20090260880A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/148,415
- Filed: 2008-04-18
- Published: 2009-10-22
- Earliest claimed: 2008-04-18
- Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
- Inventors: R. K. Thambynayagam; Andrew Carnegie; Raj Banerjee; Gregory P. Grove; Luca Ortenzi; Roger Griffiths; Joseph A. Ayoub; Jeff Spath
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260880A1

## CPC

- E21B 43/00: Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells (applicable only to water E03B)
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

A method is disclosed for modeling a first reservoir while drilling a wellbore into a corresponding second reservoir, the first reservoir having a plurality of stations, comprising: determining a plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir; and drilling the wellbore into the corresponding second reservoir in accordance with the plurality of values of net present value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of modeling a first reservoir while drilling a wellbore into a corresponding second reservoir, the first reservoir having a plurality of stations, comprising:
(a) determining a plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir; and
(b) drilling said wellbore into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with said plurality of values of net present value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step (a) comprises:
(a1) determining a subset of optimum ones of said plurality of values of net present value; and
(a2) determining a subset of stations of the plurality of stations of the first reservoir which correspond to the subset of optimum ones of said plurality of values of net present value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the drilling step (b) comprises:
(b1) drilling said wellbore into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with said subset of stations of the plurality of stations of the first reservoir which correspond to the subset of optimum ones of said plurality of values of net present value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step (a) comprises:
constructing a base model adapted for predicting a production performance of the wellbore.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the determining step (a) further comprises:
acquiring data from the wellbore while drilling the wellbore into the corresponding second reservoir; and
in response to said data, updating said base model using said data thereby generating an interim posterior model adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the corresponding second reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the determining step (a) further comprises:
converting the posterior model into a simulation model of the corresponding second reservoir; and
in response to the converting step, history matching the simulation model of the corresponding second reservoir.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the determining step (a) further comprises:
in response to the history matching step, generating an ensemble of simulation models, adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the corresponding second reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled, and adapted for optimizing the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the ensemble of simulation models optimize the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir by optimizing an objective function:
NPV=f(WOPT, Ccosts-of-well),
where ‘WOPT’ is the cumulative amount of oil that can be produced from a production steered well, and ‘Ccosts-of-well’ are the total costs of starting and maintaining production from the wellbore.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the drilling step (b) for drilling said wellbore into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with said plurality of values of net present value, comprises:
changing a trajectory of the wellbore on the condition that the ensemble of simulation models optimizes the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir; and
drilling said wellbore into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with the changed trajectory.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the drilling step (b) for drilling said wellbore into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with said plurality of values of net present value, comprises:
changing a drilling method, adapted for drilling said wellbore into said corresponding second reservoir, on the condition that the ensemble of simulation models optimizes the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir; and
drilling said wellbore into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with the changed drilling method.

### Claim 11

A method for determining an optimum trajectory of a wellbore being drilled into a reservoir, comprising:
(a) modeling a corresponding reservoir in a simulator, said corresponding reservoir having a plurality of stations;
(b) determining a plurality of net present values corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir;
(c) determining, from among the plurality of net present values, a subset of maximum ones, relative to a predetermined threshold, of the plurality of net present values;
(d) determining, from among the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir, a subset of stations which correspond, respectively, to the subset of maximum ones of the plurality of net present values; and
(e) drilling said wellbore in said reservoir along a path which corresponds to the subset of stations, the optimum trajectory of the wellbore being drilled into the reservoir corresponding to said path.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the determining step (b) comprises:
constructing a base model adapted for predicting a production performance of the wellbore.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
acquiring data from the wellbore while drilling the wellbore into the reservoir; and
in response to said data, updating said base model using said data thereby generating an interim posterior model adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
converting the posterior model into a simulation model of the reservoir; and
in response to the converting step, history matching the simulation model of the reservoir.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
in response to the history matching step, generating an ensemble of simulation models, adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled, and adapted for optimizing the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the ensemble of simulation models optimize the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir by optimizing an objective function:
NPV=f(WOPT, Ccosts-of-well),
where ‘WOPT’ is the cumulative amount of oil that can be produced from a production steered well, and ‘Ccosts-of-well’ are the total costs of starting and maintaining production from the wellbore.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the drilling step (e) comprises:
changing a trajectory of the wellbore on the condition that the ensemble of simulation models optimizes the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir; and
drilling said wellbore into said reservoir in accordance with the changed trajectory.

### Claim 18

A method of determining an optimum drilling method associated with a drilling of a wellbore into a reservoir, comprising:
(a) modeling a corresponding reservoir in a simulator, said corresponding reservoir having a plurality of stations;
(b) determining a plurality of net present values corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir;
(c) determining, from among the plurality of net present values, a subset of maximum ones, relative to a predetermined threshold, of the plurality of net present values;
(d) determining, from among the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir, a subset of stations which correspond, respectively, to the subset of maximum ones of the plurality of net present values; and
(e) selecting a drilling method associated with a drilling of a wellbore into a reservoir in accordance with said subset of stations which correspond, respectively, to the subset of maximum ones of the plurality of net present values.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the determining step (b) comprises:
constructing a base model adapted for predicting a production performance of the wellbore.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
acquiring data from the wellbore while drilling the wellbore into the reservoir; and
in response to said data, updating said base model using said data thereby generating an interim posterior model adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
converting the posterior model into a simulation model of the reservoir; and
in response to the converting step, history matching the simulation model of the reservoir.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
in response to the history matching step, generating an ensemble of simulation models, adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled, and adapted for optimizing the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the ensemble of simulation models optimize the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir by optimizing an objective function:
NPV=f(WOPT, Ccosts-of-well),
where ‘WOPT’ is the cumulative amount of oil that can be produced from a production steered well, and ‘Ccosts-of-well’ are the total costs of starting and maintaining production from the wellbore.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein the selecting step (e), adapted for selecting a drilling method associated with a drilling of a wellbore into a reservoir, comprises:
selecting a drilling method associated with a drilling of a wellbore into a reservoir on the condition that the ensemble of simulation models optimizes the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir.

### Claim 25

A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a set of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for modeling a first reservoir while drilling a wellbore into a corresponding second reservoir, the first reservoir having a plurality of stations, said method steps comprising:
(a) determining a plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir,
said wellbore being drilled into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with said plurality of values of net present value.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The program storage device of claim 25, wherein the determining step (a) comprises:
determining a subset of maximum ones, relative to a threshold value, of said plurality of values of net present value; and
determining a subset of stations of the plurality of stations of the first reservoir which correspond to the subset of maximum ones of said plurality of values of net present value.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The program storage device of claim 26, wherein:
said wellbore is drilled into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with said subset of stations of the plurality of stations of the first reservoir which correspond to the subset of maximum ones of said plurality of values of net present value.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The program storage device of claim 25, wherein the determining step (a) comprises:
constructing a base model adapted for predicting a production performance of the wellbore.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The program storage device of claim 28, wherein the determining step (a) further comprises:
acquiring data from the wellbore while drilling the wellbore into the corresponding second reservoir; and
in response to said data, updating said base model using said data thereby generating an interim posterior model adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the corresponding second reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The program storage device of claim 29, wherein the determining step (a) further comprises:
converting the posterior model into a simulation model of the corresponding second reservoir; and
in response to the converting step, history matching the simulation model of the corresponding second reservoir.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The program storage device of claim 30, wherein the determining step (a) further comprises:
in response to the history matching step, generating an ensemble of simulation models, adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the corresponding second reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled, and adapted for optimizing the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The program storage device of claim 31, wherein the ensemble of simulation models optimize the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir by optimizing an objective function:
NPV=f(WOPT, Ccosts-of-well),
where ‘WOPT’ is the cumulative amount of oil that can be produced from a production steered well, and ‘Ccosts-of-well’ are the total costs of starting and maintaining production from the wellbore.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The program storage device of claim 32, wherein:
a trajectory of the wellbore is changed on the condition that the ensemble of simulation models optimizes the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir; and
said wellbore is drilled into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with the changed trajectory.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The program storage device of claim 32, wherein:
a drilling method, adapted for drilling said wellbore into said corresponding second reservoir, is changed on the condition that the ensemble of simulation models optimizes the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir; and
said wellbore is drilled into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with the changed drilling method.

### Claim 35

A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a set of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for determining an optimum trajectory of a wellbore being drilled into a reservoir, said method steps comprising:
(a) modeling a corresponding reservoir in a simulator, said corresponding reservoir having a plurality of stations;
(b) determining a plurality of net present values corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir;
(c) determining, from among the plurality of net present values, a subset of maximum ones, relative to a predetermined threshold, of the plurality of net present values;
(d) determine, from among the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir, a subset of stations which correspond, respectively, to the subset of maximum ones of the plurality of net present values; and
said wellbore being drilled in said reservoir along a path which corresponds to the subset of stations, the optimum trajectory of the wellbore being drilled into the reservoir corresponding to said path.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The program storage device of claim 35, wherein the determining step (b) comprises:
constructing a base model adapted for predicting a production performance of the wellbore.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The program storage device of claim 36, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
acquiring data from the wellbore while drilling the wellbore into the reservoir; and
in response to said data, updating said base model using said data thereby generating an interim posterior model adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The program storage device of claim 37, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
converting the posterior model into a simulation model of the reservoir; and
in response to the converting step, history matching the simulation model of the reservoir.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The program storage device of claim 38, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
in response to the history matching step, generating an ensemble of simulation models, adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled, and adapted for optimizing the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The program storage device of claim 39, wherein the ensemble of simulation models optimize the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir by optimizing an objective function:
NPV=f(WOPT, Ccosts-of-well),
where ‘WOPT’ is the cumulative amount of oil that can be produced from a production steered well, and ‘Ccosts-of-well’ are the total costs of starting and maintaining production from the wellbore.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The program storage device of claim 40, wherein:
a trajectory of the wellbore is changed on the condition that the ensemble of simulation models optimizes the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir; and
said wellbore is drilled into said reservoir in accordance with the changed trajectory.

### Claim 42

A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a set of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for determining an optimum drilling method associated with a drilling of a wellbore into a reservoir, said method steps comprising:
(a) modeling a corresponding reservoir in a simulator, said corresponding reservoir having a plurality of stations;
(b) determining a plurality of net present values corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir;
(c) determining, from among the plurality of net present values, a subset of maximum ones, relative to a predetermined threshold, of the plurality of net present values;
(d) determine, from among the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir, a subset of stations which correspond, respectively, to the subset of maximum ones of the plurality of net present values; and
(e) selecting a drilling method associated with a drilling of a wellbore into a reservoir in accordance with said subset of stations which correspond, respectively, to the subset of maximum ones of the plurality of net present values.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The program storage device of claim 42, wherein the determining step (b) comprises:
constructing a base model adapted for predicting a production performance of the wellbore.

### Claim 44 (depends on 43)

The program storage device of claim 43, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
acquiring data from the wellbore while drilling the wellbore into the reservoir; and
in response to said data, updating said base model using said data thereby generating an interim posterior model adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled.

### Claim 45 (depends on 44)

The program storage device of claim 44, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
converting the posterior model into a simulation model of the reservoir; and
in response to the converting step, history matching the simulation model of the reservoir.

### Claim 46 (depends on 45)

The program storage device of claim 45, wherein the determining step (b) further comprises:
in response to the history matching step, generating an ensemble of simulation models, adapted for modeling an impact of the drilling of the wellbore on a future production from the reservoir into which the wellbore is being drilled, and adapted for optimizing the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir.

### Claim 47 (depends on 46)

The program storage device of claim 46, wherein the ensemble of simulation models optimize the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir by optimizing an objective function:
NPV=f(WOPT, Ccosts-of-well),
where ‘WOPT’ is the cumulative amount of oil that can be produced from a production steered well, and ‘Ccosts-of-well’ are the total costs of starting and maintaining production from the wellbore.

### Claim 48 (depends on 47)

The program storage device of claim 47, wherein the selecting step (e), adapted for selecting a drilling method associated with a drilling of a wellbore into a reservoir, comprises:
selecting a drilling method associated with a drilling of a wellbore into a reservoir on the condition that the ensemble of simulation models optimizes the plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir.

### Claim 49

A system adapted for modeling a first reservoir while drilling a wellbore into a corresponding second reservoir, the first reservoir having a plurality of stations, comprising:
apparatus adapted for determining a plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir; and
apparatus adapted for drilling said wellbore into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with said plurality of values of net present value.

### Claim 50

A system adapted for determining an optimum trajectory of a wellbore being drilled into a reservoir, comprising:
apparatus adapted for modeling a corresponding reservoir in a simulator, said corresponding reservoir having a plurality of stations;
apparatus adapted for determining a plurality of net present values corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir;
apparatus adapted for determining, from among the plurality of net present values, a subset of maximum ones, relative to a predetermined threshold, of the plurality of net present values;
apparatus adapted for determining, from among the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir, a subset of stations which correspond, respectively, to the subset of maximum ones of the plurality of net present values,
drilling said wellbore in said reservoir along a path which corresponds to the subset of stations, the optimum trajectory of the wellbore being drilled into the reservoir corresponding to said path.

### Claim 51

A system adapted for determining an optimum drilling method associated with a drilling of a wellbore into a reservoir, comprising:
apparatus adapted for modeling a corresponding reservoir in a simulator, said corresponding reservoir having a plurality of stations;
apparatus adapted for determining a plurality of net present values corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir;
apparatus adapted for determining, from among the plurality of net present values, a subset of maximum ones, relative to a predetermined threshold, of the plurality of net present values;
apparatus adapted for determining, from among the plurality of stations of the corresponding reservoir, a subset of stations which correspond, respectively, to the subset of maximum ones of the plurality of net present values,
selecting a drilling method associated with a drilling of a wellbore into a reservoir in accordance with said subset of stations which correspond, respectively, to the subset of maximum ones of the plurality of net present values.

### Claim 52

A computer program adapted to be executed by a processor, said computer program, when executed by the processor, conducting a process for modeling a first reservoir while drilling a wellbore into a corresponding second reservoir, the first reservoir having a plurality of stations, said process comprising:
(a) determining a plurality of values of net present value corresponding, respectively, to the plurality of stations of the first reservoir,
said wellbore being drilled into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with said plurality of values of net present value.

### Claim 53 (depends on 52)

The computer program of claim 52, wherein the determining step (a) comprises:
determining a subset of maximum ones, relative to a threshold value, of said plurality of values of net present value; and
determining a subset of stations of the plurality of stations of the first reservoir which correspond to the subset of maximum ones of said plurality of values of net present value.

### Claim 54 (depends on 53)

The computer program of claim 53, wherein:
said wellbore is drilled into said corresponding second reservoir in accordance with said subset of stations of the plurality of stations of the first reservoir which correspond to the subset of maximum ones of said plurality of values of net present value.