Determining reservoir connectivity using fluid contact gravity measurements
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsCarl M. Edwards, Daniel T. Georgi, Antonius M. Loermans
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for estimating reservoir connectivity using gravity estimates at a fluid contact for each of two or more boreholes. The method may include identifying fluid contacts in the boreholes. The method may include additional gravity estimates at and/or between a well head and the fluid contact of each borehole. The method may include gravity estimates along a surface between well heads of the boreholes. The method may include estimating true vertical depth for the boreholes. The apparatus may include at least one gravimeter and a processor configured to estimate reservoir connectivity using estimates from the gravimeter.
Claims14
A method for estimating reservoir fluid connectivity in an earth formation, comprising:
- measuring estimates of gravity along a path using at least one gravimeter, wherein the path includes a fluid contact in each of at least two boreholes, wherein each of the at least two boreholes comprises a well head, and wherein measuring the estimates of gravity along the path comprises:
- conveying the at least one gravimeter to the fluid contact in each of at least two boreholes, and
- performing a surface gravity survey between each well head of the at least two boreholes;
- integrating gravitational acceleration over the path using the measured gravity estimates;
- estimating reservoir fluid connectivity using the measured gravity estimates at the fluid contact in each of the at least two boreholes by determining if a fluid layer intersects the fluid contacts by comparing the integrals of gravitational acceleration over the path;
- and
- evaluating the earth formation using the estimated reservoir fluid connectivity.
An apparatus for estimating reservoir fluid connectivity, comprising:
- at least one gravimeter configured for conveyance in at least two boreholes penetrating an earth formation, wherein each of the at least two boreholes comprises a well head;
- and
- at least one processor configured to:
- measure estimates of gravity along a path using the at least one gravimeter, wherein the path includes at least a fluid contact in each of the at least two boreholes, and wherein measuring the estimates of gravity along the path comprises:
- conveying the at least one gravimeter to the fluid contact in each of at least two boreholes, and
- performing a surface gravity survey between each well head of the at least two boreholes;
- integrating gravitational acceleration over the path using the measured gravity estimates;
- estimate reservoir fluid connectivity using the measured gravity estimates at the fluid contact in each of the at least two boreholes by determining if a fluid layer intersects the fluid contacts by comparing the integrals of gravitational acceleration over the path;
- and
- evaluate the earth formation using the estimated reservoir fluid connectivity.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium product containing instructions thereon that, when read by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to execute a method, the method comprising:
- measuring estimates of gravity along a path using at least one gravimeter, wherein the path includes a fluid contact in each of at least two boreholes, wherein each of the at least two boreholes comprises a well head, and wherein measuring the estimates of gravity along the path comprises:
- conveying the at least one gravimeter to the fluid contact in each of at least two boreholes, and
- performing a surface gravity survey between each well head of the at least two boreholes;
- integrating gravitational acceleration over the path using the measured gravity estimates;
- estimating reservoir fluid connectivity using the measured gravity estimates at the fluid contact in the at least two boreholes by determining if a fluid layer intersects the fluid contacts by comparing the integrals of gravitational acceleration over the path;
- and
- evaluating the earth formation using the estimated reservoir fluid connectivity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.