Automated hydrocarbon reservoir pressure estimation

A computer system, comprising:

• a data interface for receiving measurement data corresponding to temperature and pressure measurements from at least one hydrocarbon well;
• a memory resource;
• a network interface for presenting and receiving communication signals to a network accessible to users;
• one or more central processing units for executing program instructions;
• and
• program memory, coupled to the central processing unit, for storing a computer program including program instructions that, when executed by the one or more central processing units, cause the computer system to perform a sequence of operations for estimating reservoir pressure for a reservoir at which the at least one hydrocarbon well is located, the sequence of operations comprising:
• receiving, during normal operations of the at least one hydrocarbon well producing hydrocarbons, data from the data interface corresponding to pressure measurements from sensors at a wellbore of the at least one hydrocarbon well, corresponding to temperature measurements at the wellbore of the at least one hydrocarbon well, corresponding to rate history of flow rates for each or any of phases of gas, oil, and water at the well, and corresponding to a state of valves in the wellbore of the at least one hydrocarbon well;
• applying the received data to a model of the at least one hydrocarbon well to determine an operating mode of the at least one hydrocarbon well over time, wherein the model determines the operating mode based on the pressure measurements, the temperature measurements, and the state of the valves and wherein the operating mode comprises one of steady-state shut-in, steady-state producing, steady-state injecting, transient shutting-in, transient start-up, and slugging;
• determining, during normal operations of the at least one hydrocarbon well producing hydrocarbons, a change in the determined operating mode of the at least one hydrocarbon well that indicates a change in the flow at the at least one hydrocarbon well, wherein the change in the determined operating mode is determined by the application of the received data and the rate history to remove event-related pressure transients from a pressure history at or near the well to the model;
• upon the change in the determined operating mode of the at least one hydrocarbon well that indicates the change in the flow at the at least one hydrocarbon well, receiving additional data at the data interface corresponding to pressure measurements at the wellbore of the at least one hydrocarbon well over a transient period following the change in the determined operating mode until a steady state is reached or upon another change in the determined operating mode;
• determining an estimate of reservoir pressure at the at least one hydrocarbon well from the received additional data corresponding to the pressure measurements at the wellbore of the at least one hydrocarbon well over the transient period following a change to transient shut-in and/or shut-in operating mode;
• and
• notifying a user of the change in operating mode at the at least one hydrocarbon well and of the estimated reservoir pressure, by way of communications signals transmitted over the network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program that, when executed on a computer system, causes the computer system to perform a sequence of operations for estimating reservoir pressure for a reservoir at which a well is located, the sequence of operations comprising:

• receiving, during normal operations of the well producing hydrocarbons, data corresponding to pressure measurements from sensors at a wellbore of the well, corresponding to temperature measurements at the wellbore of the well, corresponding to rate history of flow rates for each or any of phases of gas, oil, and water at the well, and corresponding to a state of valves in the wellbore of the well;
• applying the received data to a model of the well to determine an operating mode of the well over time, wherein the model determines the operating mode based on the pressure measurements, the temperature measurements, and the state of the valves and wherein the operating mode comprises one of steady-state shut-in, steady-state producing, steady-state injecting, transient shutting-in, transient start-up, and slugging;
• determining, during normal operations of the well producing hydrocarbons, a change in the determined operating mode of the well that indicates a change in the flow at the well, wherein the change in the determined operating mode is determined by the application of the received data and the rate history to remove event-related pressure transients from a pressure history at or near the well to the model;
• upon the change in the determined operating mode of the well that indicates the change in the flow at the well, receiving additional data corresponding to pressure measurements at the wellbore of the well over a transient period following the change in the determined operating mode until a steady state is reached or upon another change in the determined operating mode;
• determining an estimate of reservoir pressure at the well from the received additional data corresponding to the pressure measurements at the wellbore of the well over the transient period following a change to transient shut-in and/or shut-in mode;
• and
• notifying a user of the change in operating mode at the well and of the estimated reservoir pressure.