IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,411,261
Granted Patent B2
US 12,411,261 · App. 17/466,889 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Selection of simulation models using fracture information

Inventors: Shahzad Ali Khan (Katy, TX); Han Young Park (Katy, TX); Baosheng Liang (Houston, TX)
Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
G01V20/00E21B43/26G06F30/20E21B2200/20G06F2111/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,411,261
App. No.
17/466,889
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Characteristics of a reservoir may be used to generate multiple models of the reservoir with hydraulic fractures. Simulated configurations of the hydraulic fractures in the models may be used to select one or more of the models as representative model(s) for the reservoir. The representative model(s) may be used in development of the reservoir. Hydraulic fracturing may increase productivity at shale and tight rock reservoir by creating more effective flow paths to production.

Claims (31)

1. A system for selecting simulation models, the system comprising:

one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to:

obtain reservoir characteristic information, the reservoir characteristic information defining characteristics of a reservoir;

determine ranges of the characteristics of the reservoir to be used in generating hydraulic fracture models of the reservoir;

generate the hydraulic fracture models of the reservoir based on the ranges of the characteristics of the reservoir, the hydraulic fracture models defining different simulated configurations of one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir based on variances in the characteristics of the reservoir used to generate the hydraulic fracture models, the different simulated configurations of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir corresponding to different amounts of hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir, wherein different ones of the hydraulic fracture models provide different scenarios of hydraulic fractures in the reservoir;

select a set of the hydraulic fracture models as a set of representative models for the reservoir based on the different amounts of hydrocarbon recovery corresponding to the different simulated configurations of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the hydraulic fracture models; and

facilitate use of the set of representative models for the reservoir in reservoir development.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir characteristic information is obtained based on significance of individual characteristics of the reservoir on generation of the hydraulic fracture models.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein generation of the hydraulic fracture models of the reservoir based on the ranges of the characteristics of the reservoir includes generation of the hydraulic fracture models of the reservoir based on combinations of different values of the characteristics of the reservoir, the different values of the characteristics of the reservoir falling within the ranges of the characteristics of the reservoir.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of representative models for the reservoir is selected based on the different amounts of hydrocarbon recovery corresponding to the different simulated configurations of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the hydraulic fracture models to include a high yield model, a medium yield model, and a low yield model, the high yield model including a first hydraulic fracture model with a first simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir that corresponds to a high hydrocarbon recovery, a second hydraulic fracture model with a second simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir that corresponds to a middle hydrocarbon recovery, and a third hydraulic fracture model with a third simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir that corresponds to a low hydrocarbon recovery.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the high yield model includes a P90 model corresponding to a 90th percentile hydrocarbon recovery, the medium yield model includes a P50 model corresponding to a 50th percentile hydrocarbon recovery, and a low yield model includes a P10 model corresponding to a 10th percentile hydrocarbon recovery.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic fracture models include a first hydraulic fracture model that simulates a first simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir and a second hydraulic fracture model that simulates a second simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir, the first simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir corresponding to a first amount of hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir and the second simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir corresponding to a second amount of hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the simulated configurations of the one or more hydraulic fractures include fracture length, fracture height, fracture volume, fracture surface area, or fracture conductivity.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir development includes determination of number and placement of wells in the reservoir.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir development includes determination of one or more well designs for one or more wells in the reservoir.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir development includes estimation of hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir.

11. A method for selecting simulation models, the method comprising:

obtaining reservoir characteristic information, the reservoir characteristic information defining characteristics of a reservoir;

determining ranges of the characteristics of the reservoir to be used in generating hydraulic fracture models of the reservoir;

generating the hydraulic fracture models of the reservoir based on the ranges of the characteristics of the reservoir, the hydraulic fracture models defining different simulated configurations of one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir based on variances in the characteristics of the reservoir used to generate the hydraulic fracture models, the different simulated configurations of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir corresponding to different amounts of hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir, wherein different ones of the hydraulic fracture models provide different scenarios of hydraulic fractures in the reservoir;

selecting a set of the hydraulic fracture models as a set of representative models for the reservoir based on the different amounts of hydrocarbon recovery corresponding to the different simulated configurations of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the hydraulic fracture models; and

facilitating use of the set of representative models for the reservoir in reservoir development.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reservoir characteristic information is obtained based on significance of individual characteristics of the reservoir on generation of the hydraulic fracture models.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the hydraulic fracture models of the reservoir based on the ranges of the characteristics of the reservoir includes generating the hydraulic fracture models of the reservoir based on combinations of different values of the characteristics of the reservoir, the different values of the characteristics of the reservoir falling within the ranges of the characteristics of the reservoir.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the set of representative models for the reservoir is selected based on the different amounts of hydrocarbon recovery corresponding to the different simulated configurations of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the hydraulic fracture models to include a high yield model, a medium yield model, and a low yield model, the high yield model including a first hydraulic fracture model with a first simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir that corresponds to a high hydrocarbon recovery, a second hydraulic fracture model with a second simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir that corresponds to a middle hydrocarbon recovery, and a third hydraulic fracture model with a third simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir that corresponds to a low hydrocarbon recovery.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the high yield model includes a P90 model corresponding to a 90th percentile hydrocarbon recovery, the medium yield model includes a P50 model corresponding to a 50th percentile hydrocarbon recovery, and a low yield model includes a P10 model corresponding to a 10th percentile hydrocarbon recovery.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydraulic fracture models include a first hydraulic fracture model that simulates a first simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir and a second hydraulic fracture model that simulates a second simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir, the first simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir corresponding to a first amount of hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir and the second simulated configuration of the one or more hydraulic fractures in the reservoir corresponding to a second amount of hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the simulated configurations of the one or more hydraulic fractures include fracture length, fracture height, fracture volume, fracture surface area, or fracture conductivity.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reservoir development includes determination of number and placement of wells in the reservoir.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reservoir development includes determination of one or more well designs for one or more wells in the reservoir.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reservoir development includes estimation of hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2025
From: KHAN, SHAHZAD ALI; PARK, HAN YOUNG; LIANG, BAOSHENG
To: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
Reel/Frame 071972/0812 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230074500A1 · Mar 9, 2023
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