Optimal wellbore path planning
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsNeilkunal PANCHAL, James Ferris WHIDBORNE, Martin Thomas BAYLISS, Maurice RINGER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for generating a well-plan with respect to geological targets. The well plan can be optimized for strain energy and torsion, to generate a smooth borehole. The resultant path can be constrained for curvature which is a design parameter and can produces a path feasible for a directional steering tool to achieve. The method can be constructed as a convex optimization problem, and/or provide a unique solution by interior point methods.
Claims26
A method for generating a geological well-plan comprising:
- defining an initial pose of the well;
- defining a sequence of destinations;
- setting a steerability constraint;
- setting a smoothness objective;
- solving for an optimal well-plan from the initial pose to the first destination and then from destination to destination through the sequence of destinations, wherein the solving for the well-plan factors in the steerability constraint and the smoothness objective.
The method of claim 1, wherein:
- the smoothness objective comprises determining a well-plan using convex optimization techniques.
A method for designing a well-plan for a wellbore penetrating through an earth formation, comprising:
- providing that the well-plan intersects with a series of one or more targets between a start location and a goal;
- providing that the wellbore can be drilled and/or tracked by a directional drilling tool to be used to drill the wellbore;
- and
- providing that the well-plan is continuous and at least one of smooth or satisfies a fairness criteria.
A method for designing a well-plan for a wellbore penetrating through an earth formation, comprising:
- determining a series of one or more targets between a start location and a goal, wherein the series of one or more target locations comprise volumes of high hydrocarbon deposits in the earth formation;
- determining a curved trajectory between one of the:
- the start location and a one of the series of one or more targets, a first of the one or more targets and a second of the series of one or more targets
- providing that the wellbore can be drilled and/or tracked by a directional drilling tool to be used to drill the wellbore;
- and
- providing that the well-plan is continuous and at least one of smooth or satisfies a fairness criteria.
A system for designing a well-plan for a wellbore penetrating through an earth formation, comprising:
- a processor configured to receive a start location and a goal in the earth formation and to execute instructions thereon, the instructions comprising:
- determining a series of target locations between and including the start location and the goal;
- configuring the well-plan between the start location and the goal, wherein:
- the configured well-plan passes through each of the target locations in the series of target locations;
- the configured well-plan is designed by processed sections of well-path between each of the series of targets;
- the sections of well-path are processed by calculating a starting curvature of the wellbore at a first of the series of targets and designing a curve section between the first of the series of targets and second of the series of targets, wherein a curvature of the curve section is minimized using the starting curvature and drilling characteristics of a drilling to be used to drill the wellbore as constraints;
- and
- at least one of storing or outputting the designed well-plan.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.