Advances and outlook of integrated reservoir-wellbore-pipe network simulation technology

Abstract

The integrated simulation and optimization technology of reservoir-wellbore-pipe network is developed to reflect the mutual influence and restriction among reservoir engineering, oil production engineering and surface engineering, and to obtain the scheme with minimum conflict and optimal benefit in each step. This technology is based on the concept of global optimization to maximize production and profit, reduce costs and increase benefit. This paper elaborates the current situation of integrated simulation technology of reservoir-wellbore-pipe network both at home and abroad, discusses its correlation with the primary business of Sinopec and its development from three aspects of modeling, cloud platform and intellectualization. Suggestions on its future development are put forward from underlying data, software platform, popularization and application, and cross-border integration to provide means and guidance for the construction of intelligent oil and gas fields. The results show that the integrated simulation of reservoir-wellbore-pipe network can better reflect the optimization requirements of each step, avoid the ineffective operation of field equipment, and effectively improve the efficiency of research and management. Coupling solution, global optimization method and pressure fitting, which can make the simulation results reflect the real situation, are the key technologies for the network. The theoretical technology and main function research of integrated simulation technology have been mature, but the large-scale application and local function improvement of oil and gas fields are yet to be promoted. In the future, the integrated simulation of reservoir-wellbore-pipe network will develop from digitalization to modeling and intellectualization, from local simulation to cloud computing, and from manual intervention to intelligent decision-making. We suggest speeding up the construction of the unified database and model base of the whole underlying platform, strengthening the construction of software integration and integration platform with independent intellectual property rights, speeding up the popularization and application of intelligent oil and gas field demonstration projects, and strengthening the integration of oil and gas industry with artificial intelligence (AI), big data and block chain for its development.