Well production optimization using hyperspectral imaging
Methods and systems are provided for optimizing bitumen production from a plurality of wells employing steam-based recovery techniques such as SAGD, using hyperspectral imaging of produced emulsion samples to estimate total bitumen content at each well as a means of determining steam injection adjustment to enhance production.
1. A method for optimizing production of hydrocarbon from a plurality of steam-assisted gravity drainage well-pairs, each well-pair comprising an injector well and a producer well, the method comprising the steps of:
a. injecting a volume of steam into a subsurface reservoir through each of the injector wells;
b. allowing the injected steam to mobilize hydrocarbon in the reservoir and generate a producible emulsion;
c. producing the emulsion to surface through the producer wells;
d. obtaining samples of the emulsion produced from each of the producer wells;
e. obtaining a reflectance spectra of each of the samples;
f. estimating a bitumen content for each of the samples based on the reflectance spectra; and
g. adjusting steam injection to the injector wells such that well-pairs with higher estimated bitumen content receive increased steam volume in a subsequent steam injection;
wherein the step of adjusting the steam injection to the injector wells such that the well-pairs with higher estimated bitumen content receive the increased steam volume in the subsequent steam injection comprises sorting the well-pairs based on the estimated bitumen content.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the emulsion is an oil-water emulsion.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step a, each of the injector wells is provided with the same volume of steam.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the well-pairs originates at a well pad, and each of the samples is obtained at the well pad of the respective well-pair.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the emulsion from one of the well-pairs is piped to a central processing facility for mixing with the emulsion from the other well-pairs after sampling at the well pad.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a total volume of steam is made available for injection through the injector wells.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
the step of adjusting the steam injection comprises directing a larger percentage of the total volume of steam to the well-pairs with the higher estimated bitumen content in the subsequent steam injection.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
steps a. to g. are repeated at least once.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the step of estimating the bitumen content for each of the samples based on the reflectance spectra comprises using a calibration model based on measurements of control samples.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the measurements of the control samples comprises Dean-Stark measurements of total bitumen content in each of the control samples and obtaining a reflectance spectra of each of the control samples.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the Dean-Stark measurements and the reflectance spectra for the control samples is incorporated into the calibration model using Gaussian fitting and wavelet analysis.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the reflectance spectra is obtained using a camera or spectrometer.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the camera or spectrometer is an Analytical Spectral Device Fieldspec FR spectrometer.
14. A method for optimizing production of hydrocarbon from a plurality of steam-assisted gravity drainage well-pairs, each well-pair comprising an injector well and a producer well, the method comprising the steps of:
a. injecting steam at a rate into a subsurface reservoir through each of the injector wells;
b. allowing the injected steam to mobilize hydrocarbon in the reservoir and generate a producible emulsion;
c. producing the emulsion to surface through the producer wells;
d. obtaining samples of the emulsion produced from each of the producer wells;
e. obtaining a reflectance spectra of each of the samples;
f. estimating a bitumen content for each of the samples based on the reflectance spectra; and
g. adjusting steam injection rate to the injector wells such that well-pairs with higher estimated bitumen content receive steam at an increased rate in a subsequent steam injection;
wherein the step of adjusting the steam injection rate to the injector wells such that the well-pairs with higher estimated bitumen content receive steam at an increased rate in a subsequent steam injection comprises sorting the well-pairs based on the estimated bitumen content.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the emulsion is an oil-water emulsion.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
in step a, each of the injector wells is provided with the steam at the same injection rate.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
each of the well-pairs originates at a well pad, and each of the samples is obtained at the well pad of the respective well-pair.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the emulsion from one of the well-pairs is piped to a central processing facility for mixing with the emulsion from the other well-pairs after sampling at the well pad.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the steam is constantly generated and made available for injection through the injector wells.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein:
the step of adjusting the steam injection rate comprises increasing the steam injection rate to the well-pairs with the higher estimated bitumen content in the subsequent steam injection.
21. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
steps a. to g. are repeated at least once.
22. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the step of estimating the bitumen content for each of the samples based on the reflectance spectra comprises using a calibration model based on measurements of control samples.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein:
the measurements of the control samples comprises Dean-Stark measurements of total bitumen content in each of the control samples and obtaining a reflectance spectra of each of the control samples.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein:
the Dean-Stark measurements and the reflectance spectra for the control samples is incorporated into the calibration model using Gaussian fitting and wavelet analysis.
25. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the reflectance spectra is obtained using a camera or spectrometer.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein:
the camera or spectrometer is an Analytical Spectral Device Fieldspec FR spectrometer.