Abstract: Predicting future hydrocarbon production. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: reading data regarding hydrocarbon production from a hydrocarbon producing field; producing at least one value indicative of future hydrocarbon production based on a data model and the data regarding hydrocarbon production; displaying, on a display device of a computer system, an indication of historic data regarding hydrocarbon production; and displaying, on the display device, an indication of the at least one value indicative of future hydrocarbon production.

Abstract: Selecting hydrocarbon wells for well testing. The selecting may include identifying hydrocarbon wells whose last well test took place prior to a predetermined date; identifying hydrocarbon wells with a parameter that exceeds a predetermined threshold; and selecting a predetermined number of hydrocarbon wells from the wells identified.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for monitoring, diagnosing and optimizing operation of an electric submersible pump (ESP). At least some illustrative embodiments include a method that includes collecting measured data representative of a state of an ESP within a well or of well conditions and storing the measured data, matching a nodal analysis model of the well to the well by matching one or more modeled values to corresponding measured data, and identifying one or more likely conditions of the ESP based at least in part on data generated by a matched model. The method further includes updating the matched model to reflect a selected correction of one of the likely conditions identified, generating ESP performance curves using the updated model, and presenting to a user an action recommended to achieve an ESP performance consistent with an ESP operating point selected from one of the ESP performance curves.

Abstract: Predicting future hydrocarbon production. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: reading data regarding hydrocarbon production from a hydrocarbon producing field; producing at least one value indicative of future hydrocarbon production based on a data model and the data regarding hydrocarbon production; displaying, on a display device of a computer system, an indication of historic data regarding hydrocarbon production; and displaying, on the display device, an indication of the at least one value indicative of future hydrocarbon production.

Abstract: Selecting hydrocarbon wells for well testing. The selecting may include identifying hydrocarbon wells whose last well test took place prior to a predetermined date; dentifying hydrocarbon wells with a parameter that exceeds a predetermined threshold; and selecting a predetermined number of hydrocarbon wells from the wells identified.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for monitoring and diagnosing reservoirs. At least some illustrative embodiments include a method that includes collecting measured near-wellbore data representative of conditions at or near wells within the reservoir (e.g., oil and gas wells), storing the measured near-wellbore data in one or more databases and graphically presenting to a user simulated interwell data generated by a reservoir simulation based at least in part on the measured near-wellbore data. The method further includes graphically overlaying at least some of the measured near-wellbore data over the simulated interwell data and graphically presenting to the user one or more production indicators calculated based at least in part on the simulated interwell data.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for monitoring, diagnosing and optimizing operation of an electric submersible pump (ESP). At least some illustrative embodiments include a method that includes collecting measured data representative of a state of an ESP within a well or of well conditions and storing the measured data, matching a nodal analysis model of the well to the well by matching one or more modeled values to corresponding measured data, and identifying one or more likely conditions of the ESP based at least in part on data generated by a matched model. The method further includes updating the matched model to reflect a selected correction of one of the likely conditions identified, generating ESP performance curves using the updated model, and presenting to a user an action recommended to achieve an ESP performance consistent with an ESP operating point selected from one of the ESP performance curves.

Abstract: Some aspects of the present disclosure include monitoring fluid flow in a subterranean reservoir. In some implementations, a sealant mixture is injected into a subterranean reservoir to form a flow barrier in the subterranean reservoir. The sealant mixture includes a sealant material and a tracer. The tracer may be stored in the flow barrier, and the tracer may be displaced from the flow barrier, for example, by fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir. The displaced tracer may be detected, for example, in fluid produced into a well bore in the subterranean reservoir. Fluid flow in the subterranean reservoir may be analyzed based on detection of the tracer.

Abstract: A method comprises providing a fluid source in a subterranean formation; providing a wellbore in the subterranean formation; and providing an in-situ barrier, wherein the in-situ barrier is disposed within the subterranean environment and modifies the flow pattern of at least one fluid within the subterranean formation that is provided by the fluid source and flows towards the wellbore.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a systematic, computationally-efficient, two-stage method for determining well locations in a 3D reservoir model while satisfying various constraints including: minimum interwell spacing, maximum well length, angular limits for deviated completions, and minimum distance from reservoir and fluid boundaries. In the first stage, the wells are placed assuming that the wells can only be vertical. In the second stage, these vertical wells are examined for optimized horizontal and deviated completions. This solution is expedient, yet systematic, and it provides a good first-pass set of well locations and configurations. The first stage solution formulates the well placement problem as a binary integer programming (BIP) problem which uses a “set-packing” approach that exploits the problem structure, strengthens the optimization formulation, and reduces the problem size. Commercial software packages are readily available for solving BIP problems.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for recovering and separating diamondoid compounds from a produced natural gas stream containing dissolved diamondoids.

Abstract: A process for recovering oil from fractured formations is provided which involves altering the wettability of the formation, particularly at the interface of the fracture and rock matrix. The process of the present invention improves the ability of injected fluids flowing in the fracture to enter the rock matrix to displace oil. When employed in conjunction with a water-wet fractured oil-bearing formation, the process comprises the steps of: injecting a wettability agent capable of transforming the water-wet fractured formation from water-wet to oil-wet; contacting the oil-wet fractured formation with the wettability agent so injected at a fracture/matrix interface; injecting an oil miscible solvent; and recovering oil. A process for use with an oil-wet fractured oil-bearing formation is also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for locating a solvent injection apparatus within a natural gas wellbore to reduce the deposition of hydrocarbonaceous solids which are at least partially soluble in the solvent.

Abstract: A process is described to direct heat towards a productive interval of a reservoir during a thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operation. A chemical composition suitable for producing a rigid polymer foam is injected above or below the productive interval. Once in place the temperature of the composition is increased and it reacts to produce a foamed polymer thermal barrier. The temperature can be increased by steam injection or in-situ combustion. After a rigid foam is formed, thermal efficiency is increased by reducing heat losses to non-producing zones during a thermal stimulation.

Abstract: A liquid hydrocarbon and an insoluble displacing fluid are passed through a core sample from a subsurface formation. The two-phase effluent flow out of the core sample is collected in a container where the two phases separate into an overlying fluid phase and an underlying fluid phase and the volumes of each phase are measured as an indication of the permeability of the core sample. Such volumes are measured by placing fluid level detectors in the container and detecting the movements of the air-fluid interface of the top of the overlying fluid phase and the fluid-fluid interface between the two phases as the fluid is drained from the container.

Abstract: An enhanced oil recovery process in which carbon dioxide is injected into the oil-bearing formation under supercritical conditions to act as a solvent for the oil. Mobility of the carbon dioxide is controlled by the use of a dissolved polymer whose solubility is enhanced by the use of an entrainer comprising a polar organic compound such as an alcohol or a glycol.

Abstract: Method and system for measuring properties of fluids, particularly of reservoir fluids involved in enhanced oil recovery, comprising a pair of high pressure cells, each one of the cells having a floating piston therein which separates the respective cell into a fluid analysis chamber and a hydraulic fluid chamber. Means are provided for selectively controlling the amount of pressure applied to the hydraulic fluid chamber of each cell, whereby the pressure of the fluid under analysis is defined. Means are also provided for interconnecting the fluid analysis chambers of each cell whereby fluid under analysis may be selectively passed between the cells.

Abstract: A method for determining the CO.sub.2 minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) is disclosed which comprises filling a coiled capillary tube with oil at a predetermined temperature T.sub.1 and an initial predetermined pressure P.sub.1 less than the CO.sub.2 MMP. Carbon dioxide is injected into the capillary tube at a fixed flow rate F.sub.1 to displace the oil while maintaining the temperature of the oil at T.sub.1 and the pressure at P.sub.1. The pressure drop across the capillary tube and the volume of carbon dioxide injected is constantly measured. The pressure difference versus volume of carbon dioxide injected data is plotted and the pressure drop .DELTA.P.sub.1 at the point of inflection where the second derivative goes from a negative value to a positive value is determined graphically. The previous steps are repeated while maintaining T.sub.1 and F.sub.1 constant at a different pressure P.sub.2 less than the CO.sub.2 MMP and .DELTA.P.sub.2 at the inflection point of pressure versus volume of CO.sub.