Patents Represented by Attorney Craig R. Vander Ploeg
  • Patent number: 8346523
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for an upscaling approach based on dynamic simulation of a given model. A system and method can be configured such that the accuracy of the upscaled model is continuously monitored via indirect error measures. If the indirect error measures are bigger than a specified tolerance, the upscaled model is dynamically updated with approximate fine-scale information that is reconstructed by a multi-scale finite volume method. Upscaling of multi-phase flow can include flow information in the underlying fine-scale. Adaptive prolongation and restriction operators are applied for flow and transport equations in constructing an approximate fine-scale solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignees: Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Seong H. Lee, Hui Zhou, Hamdi A. Tchelepi
  • Patent number: 8335677
    Abstract: A method for forecasting production from a hydrocarbon producing reservoir, the method includes defining an objective function and characteristics of a history-matched model of a reservoir and acceptable error E. At least one geological realization of the reservoir is created representing a probable geological setting. For each geological realization, a global optimization technique is used to perform history matching in a series of iterative steps to obtain acceptable models. Production of the reservoir is forecasted based upon simulation runs of the respective models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Burak Yeten, Alexandre Castellini
  • Patent number: 8301429
    Abstract: Computer-implemented iterative multi-scale methods and systems are provided for handling simulation of complex, highly anisotropic, heterogeneous domains. A system and method can be configured to achieve simulation of structures where accurate localization assumptions do not exist. The iterative system and method smoothes the solution field by applying line relaxation in all spatial directions. The smoother is unconditionally stable and leads to sets of tri-diagonal linear systems that can be solved efficiently, such as by the Thomas algorithm. Furthermore, the iterative smoothing procedure, for the improvement of the localization assumptions, does not need to be applied in every time step of the computation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignees: Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Schlumberger Technology Corporation, ETH Zurich
    Inventors: Hadi Hajibeygi, Giuseppe Bonfigli, Marc Andre Hesse, Patrick Jenny
  • Patent number: 8271249
    Abstract: The present invention performs numerical simulation of surfactant flooding during enhanced oil recovery of a given hydrocarbon reservoir. The present invention utilizes an improved method for determining relative permeability while maintaining physical consistency when the phase behavior varies between different phase Types. This new relative permeability model maintains the physical consistency in the transition from Type II(?) to Type III to Type II(+) systems and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Irene Lee Gullapalli, Mark Chih-Hung Chien
  • Patent number: 8204726
    Abstract: A multi-scale method to efficiently determine the fine-scale saturation arising from multi-phase flow in a subsurface reservoir is disclosed. The method includes providing a simulation model that includes a fine-scale grid defining a plurality of fine-scale cells, and a coarse-scale grid defining a plurality of coarse-scale cells that are aggregates of the fine-scale cells. The coarse-scale cells are partitioned into saturation regions responsive to velocity and/or saturation changes from the saturation front. A fine-scale saturation is determined for each region and the saturation regions are assembled to obtain a fine-scale saturation distribution. A visual display can be output responsive to the fine-scale saturation distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignees: Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Seong H. Lee, Hui Zhou, Hamdi A. Tchelepi
  • Patent number: 7983886
    Abstract: The present invention performs numerical simulation of surfactant flooding during enhanced oil recovery of a given hydrocarbon reservoir. The present invention utilizes an improved method for determining relative permeability while maintaining physical consistency when the phase behavior varies between different phase Types. This new relative permeability model maintains the physical consistency in the transition from Type II(?) to Type III to Type II(+) systems and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Irene Lee Gullapalli, Mark Chih-Hung