Applied Reservoir Simulation

Course

History Matching

Reservoir Simulation Application Training Course

and (Eclipse) Workshop
SIS Training and Development,
Denver and Houston

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 1

 Lecture on Traditional
History Matching

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 2

 History Matching and Predictions

Simulation of hydrocarbon reservoir performance can be

divided into two phases namely:-

History Matching: Comprising the adjustment of reservoir

parameters in the model until the simulated performance matches
the measured information.

Future Performance Prediction: Refers to the simulation of

future reservoir performance

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 3

 History Matching

Normally the most time-consuming phase of

a simulation study.
Used to demonstrate the validity of the
simulation model.
Input historical production rates of oil/gas
and well pressures then simulator calculates
pressures and secondary products (GOR, WC,
etc.) to be compared with history.

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 4

 History Matching
Mathematically: Inverse Problem

That is, we know the Model and we know

the answer, but we do not know the
input to the model.

There are special techniques for

solving inverse problem, but these do not
apply to reservoir simulation history matching.

Thus, we use trial and ERROR.

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 5

 Direct Problem

System
INPUT Equations ?OUTPUT?
Parameters Model
Simulator

Inverse Problem
History
Matching
System
?INPUT? Equations OUTPUT
?Parameters? Model
Simulator

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 6

 History Matching Oil/Gas Field

Special Case of Inverse Problem

Our Geologist, Geophysicist,
Petrophysicist, Well Test Engineer
give us an estimate of the input
parameters (k, kr, , layering,
structure, faults, etc.) with an
uncertainty level, that is a b.
Note sometimes level of uncertainty
is not expressly given

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 7

History Matching with Uncertainty
Exercise Simplified
Given inverse problem with uncertain
input data
Your job: Match the history (within
its uncertainty)
Run the prediction
Each group will report their history
match parameters and the prediction
value

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 8

Variables that can be considered for
a history match study
Porosity (local) Rock Compressibility (Global)
Water Saturation (Global) Relative Permeability (Global
Permeability (Local) - regional with Justification)
Gross Thickness (Local) Capillary Pressure (Global -
Net Thickness (Local) regional with justification)

kv/kh Ratio (Global .. Local?) Mobile Oil Volume

(Global..Local?)
Transmissibility (x/y/z/)
(Local) Datum Pressure (Global)

Aquifer Connectivity and Size Original Fluid Contact

(Regional) (Global)

Pore Volume (Local) Well Inflow Parameters

(Local)
Fluid Properties (Global)

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 9

 History Matching
The following variables are often considered to be
indeterminate (high uncertainty):

- Pore volume
- Permeability
- Transmissibility
- Kv/Kh ratio
- Rel. perm. curves
- Aquifer properties
- Mobile oil volumes
- Well inflow parameters

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 10

 History Matching
The following variables are often considered to
be determinate (low uncertainty):
- Porosity
- Gross thickness
- Net thickness
- Structure (reservoir top/bottom/extent)
- Fluid properties
- Rock compressibility
- Capillary pressure
- Datum pressure
- Original fluid contact
- Production rates

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 11

 Overview of History Matching

History matching
Helps to identify the weaknesses in the available
data,
Improves the reservoir description and forms
basis for the future performance predictions.

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 12

 History Matching

The processes which we can control during

history-matching are:

- The initial quantity and distribution of the

fluids within the system
- The movement of fluids within the system
under pressure gradients

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 13

Overview of History Matching
Data uncertainties
Oil production rates are usually measured
systematically and accurately but Water Oil
Ratio and Gas Oil Ratio measurements are
done occasionally.
Rate fluctuations are usually smoothed out as
they can occur at very short intervals.
Gas rates are not measured accurately
especially when part of it is being flared.

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 14

 Overview of History Matching
Data uncertainties
Injection data can be less accurate than
production data due to measurement errors, fluid
losses into other intervals due to leaks in the
casing or flow behind the pipe.
Well test data are usually reliable when build up
records are taken.
Pressures measured during flow tests are usually
less reliable than those obtained during shut in.

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 15

 Overview of History Matching
Reservoir formation parameters are
usually measured at the point of
observation - wells.
These are porosity, permeability,
relative permeability, capillary
pressure etc.
Inferred parameters between wells
are usually associated with high
degree of uncertainty.
March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 16
 Overview of History Matching
Having set of parameters that match the
reservoir performance available does not
guarantee accurate future performance
predictions.
The duty of reservoir management is to
direct efforts in simulation studies to
quantify uncertainty in the future
performance predictions.

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 17

 History Matching

History matching is normally carried out in

these stages:
- Define which data is determinate and which is indeterminate
- Define the data to be compared and the tolerances
- Determine the solution technique
- Match the pressures (field or reservoir pressure)
- Match the GOR/water-cut, etc.
- Match the FBHP

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 18

 History Matching

Important to know which variables may

have a significant effect on the history
match and which may not.
Thus, at the beginning of the history
matching process a sensitivity analysis of
the key parameters is suggested.

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 19

 History Matching
Before starting to history match: define the
data to be matched and the tolerances.

Final Match tolerances depend on:

- The study objectives

- The data quality
- The model coarseness
- Time and money available

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 20

 History Matching
There are no hard and fast rules for history matching.
However, the following may be of some help:

- Keep it simple (KISS)

- Keep it physical
- Use common sense
- Dont panic!
- Run model under voidage control until pressures matched,
then switch to principal product rate
- Proper use of pseudos is more consistent than rock curves
- Correct the problem, not the symptom
- The most difficult problems may require a rethink of the
base data

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 21

 History Matching
Pressure match

- Run the model under reservoir voidage

control
- Examine the overall pressure levels, adjust the
pore volume/aquifer properties to match
overall pressure
- Match the well pressures, modify local
PVs/aquifers to match overall pressures;
modify local transmissibility to match
pressure gradient

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 22

 History Matching
Saturation match

- Normally attempted once pressures matched

- Most important parameters are rel. perm. curves and
permeabilities
- Try to explain the reasons for the deviations and act
accordingly
- Changes to rel. perm. tables should affect the model globally
- Changes to permeabilities should have some physical
justification
- Consider the use of well pseudos
- Assumed layer KH allocations may be incorrect
(check PLTs, etc.)

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 23

 History Matching

Well PI match

- Not usually matched until pressures and saturations are

matched, unless BHP affects production rates
- Must be matched before using model in prediction mode
- Match FBHP data by modifying KH, skin or PI directly

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 24

 History Matching

Automatic history matching does not exist. New Eclipse

SimOpt program is a history matching aid. Try to minimize
an objective function over the time period of the history:
n
Q=R i
2

i =1
where
Ri = Wi ( X X o )i

with X = calculated data

Xo = actual data
Wi = weighting factor

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 25

 History Matching Adjustments
Simulation field pressure too high

Possible Changes

Pore Volume?
Aquifer?
Oil Initially in Place
(Contacts, So)
Energy?
Gas cap size

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 26

 History Matching Adjustments
Break Through: OK, After BT WC too high

Possible Changes

Krw / Kro ratio decrease?

Aquifer size?

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 27

 History Matching Adjustments
Water BT too early, After BT slope - OK

Possible Changes

Effective end point Krw ?

Horiz. Permeability of well to aquifer layer?
Shale or barrier between wells and water?
Vertical permeability between wells and
water?
Numerical dispersion / grid effect?

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 28

 History Matching Adjustments

Gas BT simulation very late, After BT

slope OK

Possible Changes

Effective Krg end point?

Shale or barrier effecting coning?
Vertical permeability between wells and
gas?
Numerical dispersion / grid effect?

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 29

 History Matching Adjustments
Gas BT OK, After BT simulation slope in
error

Possible Changes

Krg / Kro ratio increase?

Supply of gas?

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 30

 Predictions
Most simulation models are used to produce production
forecasts. Exact details of prediction cases depend on
particular field, so difficult to generalize.

- During predictions, well rates usually controlled primarily

by FTHP/FBHP
- Most simulators can model a wide variety of operating
constraints
- Check that the transition from history to prediction
is smooth
- Monitor carefully automatic workovers
- Take care when using the model to plan infill drilling
- Simulation model recoveries are usually optimistic

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 31

 History Matching Restart Runs

Field History Period Prediction Period

production
rate

Base Run Restart Run

Present day Time

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 32

 End of Lecture 2

March 06 Applied Reservoir Simulation Day 2 33