Patents by Inventor Xiaowei Weng

Xiaowei Weng has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9618652
    Abstract: A method of performing a fracture operation at a wellsite about a subterranean formation having a fracture network with natural fractures is provided. The wellsite is stimulated by injection of fluid into the fracture network. The method involves generating wellsite data including natural fracture parameters and obtaining measurements of microseismic events, modeling hydraulic fractures of the fracture network based on the wellsite data and defining a hydraulic fracture geometry of the hydraulic fractures, generating a stress field of the hydraulic fractures using a geomechanical model, determining shear failure parameters comprising a failure envelope and a stress state about the fracture network, determining a location of shear failure of the fracture network from the failure envelope and the stress state, and calibrating the hydraulic fracture geometry by comparing the modeled hydraulic fractures and the locations of shear failure against the measured microseismic events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xiaowei Weng, Mark Mack, Craig Cipolla, Utpal Ganguly, Shawn Maxwell
  • Publication number: 20170096886
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a method for hydraulic fracturing a subterranean formation traversed by a wellbore including characterizing the formation using measured properties of the formation, including mechanical properties of geological interfaces, identifying a formation fracture height wherein the identifying comprises calculating a contact of a hydraulic fracture surface with geological interfaces, and fracturing the formation wherein a fluid viscosity or a fluid flow rate or both are selected using the calculating. Embodiments herein also relate to a method for hydraulic fracturing a subterranean formation traversed by a wellbore including measuring the formation comprising mechanical properties of geological interfaces, characterizing the formation using the measurements, calculating a formation fracture height using the formation characterization, calculating an optimum fracture height using the measurements, and comparing the optimum fracture height to the formation fracture height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Dmitry CHUPRAKOV, Romain Charles Andre PRIOUL, Xiaowei WENG
  • Publication number: 20170067335
    Abstract: An embodiment for determining a flow distribution of a wellbore during a wellbore treatment comprises disposing an optical fiber into a wellbore, performing a wellbore treatment in the wellbore with the fiber optic in place by flowing a well treatment fluid from the surface and wellbore and into the formation, taking distributed temperature measurements at a time interval with the fiber optic cable during the wellbore treatment operation, and calculating a flow distribution of the wellbore while performing the wellbore treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Xiaowei Weng, Pierre Ramondenc
  • Patent number: 9556720
    Abstract: A system and method for performing stimulation operations at a wellsite having a subterranean formation with of a reservoir therein is provided. The method involves generating a plurality of quality indicators from a plurality of logs, and combining the plurality of quality indicators to form a composite quality indicator. The composite quality indicator may be combined with a stress log to form a combined stress and composite quality indicator, the combined stress and composite quality indicator comprising a plurality of blocks with boundaries therebetween. The method may further comprise identifying classifications for the plurality of blocks; defining stages along the combined stress and composite quality indicator based on the classifications; and selectively positioning perforations in select stages based on the classifications thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Onda, Utpal Ganguly, Xiaowei Weng
  • Publication number: 20160357883
    Abstract: A method involves generating a hydraulic fracture growth pattern for a fracture network. The generating involves representing hydraulic fractures as a vertically stacked elements, extending the represented hydraulic fractures laterally from the wellbore and into the formation to form a hydraulic fracture network by adding new elements to the vertically stacked elements over time, determining hydraulic fracture parameters of the represented hydraulic fractures, determining transport parameters for the proppant passing through the hydraulic fracture network, deriving an estimated fracture tip velocity from a pressure and a stress profile of the formation; extending a height of the vertically stacked elements and the new elements over time based on the derived velocity to form extended vertically stacked elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Xiaowei Weng, Charles-Edouard Cohen, Olga Kresse
  • Publication number: 20160265331
    Abstract: Methods of performing a fracture operation at a wellsite with a fracture network are provided. The methods involve obtaining wellsite data and a mechanical earth model, and generating a hydraulic fracture growth pattern for the fracture network over time. The generating involves extending hydraulic fractures from a wellbore and into the fracture network of a subterranean formation to form a hydraulic fracture network, determining hydraulic fracture parameters after the extending, determining transport parameters for proppant passing through the hydraulic fracture network, and determining fracture dimensions of the hydraulic fractures from the hydraulic fracture parameters, the transport parameters and the mechanical earth model. The methods also involve performing stress shadowing on the hydraulic fractures to determine stress interference between fractures at different depths, and repeating the generating based on the determined stress interference. The methods may also involve determining crossing behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Xiaowei Weng, Olga Kresse
  • Publication number: 20160251948
    Abstract: A hydraulic fracture design model that simulates the complex physical process of fracture propagation in the earth driven by the injected fluid through a wellbore. An objective in the model is to adhere with the laws of physics governing the surface deformation of the created fracture subjected to the fluid pressure, the fluid flow in the gap formed by the opposing fracture surfaces, the propagation of the fracture front, the transport of the proppant in the fracture carried by the fluid, and the leakoff of the fracturing fluid into the permeable rock. The models used in accordance with methods of the invention are typically based on the assumptions and the mathematical equations for the conventional 2D or P3D models, and further take into account the network of jointed fracture segments. For each fracture segment, the mathematical equations governing the fracture deformation and fluid flow apply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Xiaowei Weng, Eduard Siebrits
  • Patent number: 9336416
    Abstract: A hydraulic fracture design model that simulates the complex physical process of fracture propagation in the earth driven by the injected fluid through a wellbore. An objective in the model is to adhere with the laws of physics governing the surface deformation of the created fracture subjected to the fluid pressure, the fluid flow in the gap formed by the opposing fracture surfaces, the propagation of the fracture front, the transport of the proppant in the fracture carried by the fluid, and the leakoff of the fracturing fluid into the permeable rock. The models used in accordance with methods of the invention are typically based on the assumptions and the mathematical equations for the conventional 2D or P3D models, and further take into account the network of jointed fracture segments. For each fracture segment, the mathematical equations governing the fracture deformation and fluid flow apply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaowei Weng, Edward Siebrits
  • Publication number: 20160123117
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method of optimizing a sequenced hydraulic fracturing treatment to be performed on a well includes predicting, based on a well model of the well and a hydraulic fracturing treatment schedule, a seal state of a perforation cluster. The method may further include updating, based on the predicted seal state, a pilling operation of a stage of the hydraulic fracturing treatment schedule. The method may further include modifying the sequenced hydraulic fracturing treatment schedule to be performed based on the updated pilling operation. The well model includes a geomechanical model of the well and a geological formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Hongren Gu, Xiaowei Weng, Olga Kresse, Bruno Lecerf
  • Publication number: 20160115771
    Abstract: A system and method for performing stimulation operations at a wellsite having a subterranean formation with of a reservoir therein is provided. The method involves performing reservoir characterization to generate a mechanical earth model based on integrated petrophysical, geomechanical and geophysical data. The method also involves generating a stimulation plan by performing well planning, a staging design, a stimulation design and a production prediction based on the mechanical earth model. The stimulation design is optimized by repeating the well planning, staging design, stimulation design, and production prediction in a feedback loop until an optimized stimulation plan is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Utpal Ganguly, Hitoshi Onda, Xiaowei Weng
  • Publication number: 20160108705
    Abstract: A method of performing a fracture operation is provided at a wellsite. The wellsite is positioned about a subterranean formation having a wellbore therethrough and a complex fracture network therein. The complex fracture network includes natural fractures, and the wellsite stimulated by injection of an injection fluid with proppant into the complex fracture network. The method involves generating wellsite data comprising measurements of microseismic events of the subterranean formation, modeling a hydraulic fracture network and a discrete fracture network of the complex fracture network based on the wellsite data, and performing a seismic moment operation. The method involves determining an actual seismic moment density based on the wellsite data and a predicted seismic moment density based on shear and tensile components of the simulated hydraulic fracture network, and calibrating the discrete fracture network based on a comparison of the predicted moment density and the actual moment density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Shawn Maxwell, Xiaowei Weng, Olga Kresse, Craig Cipolla, Mark Mack, James T. Rutledge, William Underhill, Utpal Ganguly
  • Publication number: 20160047207
    Abstract: A system and method for performing stimulation operations at a wellsite having a subterranean formation with of a reservoir therein is provided. The method involves generating a plurality of quality indicators from a plurality of logs, and combining the plurality of quality indicators to form a composite quality indicator. The plurality of stress blocks may then be merged using diversion criterion. The composite quality indicator may be combined with the merged stress blocks to form a combined stress and composite quality indicator, the combined stress and composite quality indicator comprising a plurality of blocks with boundaries therebetween. The method may further comprise defining stages along the combined stress and composite quality indicator based on the diverter-assisted stage classifications; and selectively positioning perforations in select stages based on the diverter-assisted stage classifications thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Bruno Lecerf, Dmitriy Usoltsev, Timothy L. Pope, Alejandro Pena, Tarik Itibrout, Xiaowei Weng, Hitoshi Onda, Philippe Enkababian
  • Patent number: 9228425
    Abstract: A system and method for performing stimulation operations at a wellsite having a subterranean formation with of a reservoir therein is provided. The method involves performing reservoir characterization to generate a mechanical earth model based on integrated petrophysical, geomechanical and geophysical data. The method also involves generating a stimulation plan by performing well planning, a staging design, a stimulation design and a production prediction based on the mechanical earth model. The stimulation design is optimized by repeating the well planning, staging design, stimulation design, and production prediction in a feedback loop until an optimized stimulation plan is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Utpal Ganguly, Hitoshi Onda, Xiaowei Weng
  • Patent number: 9135475
    Abstract: A system and method for performing stimulation operations at a wellsite having a subterranean formation with of a reservoir therein is provided. The method involves generating a plurality of quality indicators from a plurality of logs, and combining the plurality of quality indicators to form a composite quality indicator. The plurality of stress blocks may then be merged using diversion criterion. The composite quality indicator may be combined with the merged stress blocks to form a combined stress and composite quality indicator, the combined stress and composite quality indicator comprising a plurality of blocks with boundaries therebetween. The method may further comprise defining stages along the combined stress and composite quality indicator based on the diverter-assisted stage classifications; and selectively positioning perforations in select stages based on the diverter-assisted stage classifications thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Sclumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Bruno Lecerf, Dmitriy Usoltsev, Timothy L. Pope, Alejandro Pena, Tarik Itibrout, Xiaowei Weng, Hitoshi Onda, Philippe Enkababian
  • Patent number: 9091139
    Abstract: A method for determining characteristics of a tubing deployed in a wellbore includes positioning a first sensor within the wellbore, wherein the first sensor generates a first feedback signal representing a downhole parameter measured by the first sensor, positioning a second sensor adjacent a surface of the formation in which the wellbore is formed, wherein the second sensor generates a second feedback signal representing a surface parameter measured by the second sensor, generating a simulated model representing a simulated surface weight indicator of the tubing, wherein the simulated model is derived from at least the first feedback signal, generating a data model representing a measured weight indicator of the tubing, wherein the data model is derived from the second feedback signal, comparing the data model to the simulated model, and adjusting a parameter of the simulated model to substantially match the simulated model to the data model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaowei Weng, Fernando Baez Manzanera, Douglas Pipchuk, Rex Burgos
  • Publication number: 20150204174
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for performing a fracturing operation about a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation. The method may acquire integrated wellsite data. The method may generate a mechanical earth model using the integrated wellsite data. The method may simulate an intersection of an induced hydraulic fracture with a natural fracture using the mechanical earth model. The method may determine intersection properties of the intersected natural fracture. The method may also generate a stimulation plan using the mechanical earth model and the intersection properties. The stimulation plan may include a fluid viscosity or a rate of injection of a fracturing fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Olga Kresse, Xiaowei Weng, Hongren Gu
  • Patent number: 9085976
    Abstract: An example apparatus includes a formation description module that interprets a formation description corresponding to a formation of interest, a fluid description module that interprets a high solids content fluid (HSCF) description, and a fracture modeling module that models a fracturing operation in the formation of interest in response to the formation description and the HSCF description. The apparatus further includes a fracture results module that provides a fracture treatment description parameter in response to the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hongren Gu, Yiyan Chen, Xiaowei Weng
  • Publication number: 20140372089
    Abstract: A method of performing a fracture operation at a wellsite about a subterranean formation having a fracture network with natural fractures is provided. The wellsite is stimulated by injection of fluid into the fracture network. The method involves generating wellsite data including natural fracture parameters and obtaining measurements of micro seismic events, modeling hydraulic fractures of the fracture network based on the wellsite data and defining a hydraulic fracture geometry of the hydraulic fractures, generating a stress field of the hydraulic fractures using a geomechanical model, determining shear failure parameters comprising a failure envelope and a stress state about the fracture network, determining a location of shear failure of the fracture network from the failure envelope and the stress state, and calibrating the hydraulic fracture geometry by comparing the modeled hydraulic fractures and the locations of shear failure against the measured microseismic events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Xiaowei Weng, Mark Mack, Craig Cipolla, Utpal Ganguly, Shawn Maxwell
  • Patent number: 8910714
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using a fluid within a subterranean formation comprising forming a fluid comprising a fluid additive, introducing the fluid to a formation, observing a temperature, and controlling a rate of fluid introduction using the observed temperature, wherein the observed temperature is lower than if no observing and controlling occurred. A method and apparatus to deliver fluid to a subterranean formation comprising a pump configured to deliver fluid to a wellbore, a flow path configured to receive fluid from the pump, a bottom hole assembly comprising a fluid outlet and a temperature sensor and configured to receive fluid from the flow path, and a controller configured to accept information from the temperature sensor and to send a signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Philippe M. J. Tardy, Douglas Pipchuk, Xiaowei Weng, Fernando Baez Manzanera
  • Publication number: 20140305638
    Abstract: Methods of performing a fracture operation at a wellsite with a fracture network are provided. The methods involve obtaining wellsite data and a mechanical earth model, and generating a hydraulic fracture growth pattern for the fracture network over time. The generating involves extending hydraulic fractures from a wellbore and into the fracture network of a subterranean formation to form a hydraulic fracture network, determining hydraulic fracture parameters after the extending, determining transport parameters for proppant passing through the hydraulic fracture network, and determining fracture dimensions of the hydraulic fractures from the hydraulic fracture parameters, the transport parameters and the mechanical earth model. The methods also involve performing stress shadowing on the hydraulic fractures to determine stress interference between fractures and repeating the generating based on the determined stress interference. The methods may also involve determining crossing behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Olga Kresse, Xiaowei Weng, Charles-Edouard Cohen, Hongren Gu