IP Library Granted Patent US 12,392,239
Granted Patent B1
US 12,392,239 · App. 18/620,368 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Real-time zonal inflow analyzer with closed-loop tracer system

Inventors: Mohammed A. Nasr (Qatif, SA); Wail K. Aljehani (Alkhafji, SA); James Ohioma Arukhe (Dhahran, SA)
Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
E21B47/11E21B43/14E21B49/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,392,239
App. No.
18/620,368
Granted
Aug 19, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method to perform zonal inflow analysis of a well. The method includes disposing a chemical tracer module in each perforation zone in the well to interact with produced fluid to produce a zonal signature that uniquely identifies the corresponding perforation zone, obtaining a production flow at a wellhead that has zonal contributions of the produced fluid from the perforation zones, measuring, in the production flow and using a chemical analysis panel at the Earth's surface, a concentration of the zonal signature of each perforation zone, determining, using at least the chemical analysis panel and based on the concentration of the zonal signature of each perforation zone, a respective measure of each zonal contribution, and facilitating, based on the respective measure of each zonal contribution, a production operation of the well.

Claims (16)

1. A method to perform zonal inflow analysis of a well, comprising:

disposing a chemical tracer module in each of a plurality of perforation zones in the well, wherein the chemical tracer module interacts with produced fluid of the well to produce a zonal signature of a corresponding perforation zone, the zonal signature comprising a chemical reaction product of the chemical tracer module and the produced fluid to uniquely identify the corresponding perforation zone;

obtaining, at a wellhead of the well, a production flow comprising a plurality of zonal contributions of the produced fluid from the plurality of perforation zones;

measuring, in the production flow and using a chemical analysis panel at the Earth's surface, a concentration of the zonal signature of each of the plurality of perforation zones;

determining, using at least the chemical analysis panel and based on the concentration of the zonal signature of each of the plurality of perforation zones, a respective measure of each of the plurality of zonal contributions; and

facilitating, based on the respective measure of each of the plurality of zonal contributions, a production operation of the well.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chemical tracer module in each of the plurality of perforation zones is integrated in a downhole completion of the well.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the respective measure of each of the plurality of zonal contributions is determined within a pre-determined time from said obtaining the production flow to perform the zonal inflow analysis in real-time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said facilitating the production operation of the well comprises:

generating, based on the respective measure of each of the plurality of zonal contributions, at least one control command; and

sending, to at least one downhole control valve, the at least one control command to adjust the production flow.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one control command causes the at least one downhole control valve to adjust at least one of the plurality of zonal contributions.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one control command is sent within a pre-determined time from said obtaining the production flow to adjust the production flow in real-time.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein said facilitating the production operation of the well further comprises:

eliminating, by said using the chemical analysis panel at the Earth's surface to measure the concentration of the zonal signature of each of the plurality of perforation zones, manual sampling and laboratory analysis of the produced fluid in the production flow; and

preventing, by at least eliminating the manual sampling and laboratory analysis, release of hazardous downhole gases, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and safety of the production operation.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2024
From: NASR, MOHAMMED A.; ALJEHANI, WAIL K.; ARUKHE, JAMES OHIOMA
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 069086/0558 →
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