Seong Hee Lee

US Patent:

6823297, Nov 23, 2004

Filed:

Mar 6, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/383908

Inventors:

Patrick Jenny - Zurich, CH
Seong Lee - Emeryville CA
Hamdi A. Tchelepi - San Mateo CA

Assignee:

Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - San Ramon CA
Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Houston TX

International Classification:

G06G 748

US Classification:

703 2, 703 10, 703 9, 703 6, 702 13, 702 12, 702 6, 367 69, 367 72

Abstract:

A multi-scale finite-volume (MSFV) method to solve elliptic problems with a plurality of spatial scales arising from single or multi-phase flows in porous media is provided. Two sets of locally computed basis functions are employed. A first set of basis functions captures the small-scale heterogeneity of the underlying permeability field, and it is computed to construct the effective coarse-scale transmissibilities. A second set of basis functions is required to construct a conservative fine-scale velocity field. The method efficiently captures the effects of small scales on a coarse grid, is conservative, and treats tensor permeabilities correctly. The underlying idea is to construct transmissibilities that capture the local properties of a differential operator. This leads to a multi-point discretization scheme for a finite-volume solution algorithm. Transmissibilities for the MSFV method are preferably constructed only once as a preprocessing step and can be computed locally.

US Patent:

7496488, Feb 24, 2009

Filed:

Nov 23, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/997539

Inventors:

Patrick Jenny - Zurich, CH
Seong Lee - Emeryville CA, US
Hamdi A. Tchelepi - San Mateo CA, US

Assignee:

Schlumberger Technology Company - Houston TX
Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - San Ramon CA
ETH Zurich - Zurich

International Classification:

G06G 7/48
G01V 3/38
G01V 1/38
G01V 1/00

US Classification:

703 10, 702 5, 367 23, 367 56, 367 57

Abstract:

A multi-scale finite-volume (MSFV) method to solve elliptic problems with a plurality of spatial scales arising from single or multi-phase flows in porous media is provided. The method efficiently captures the effects of small scales on a coarse grid, is conservative, and treats tensor permeabilities correctly. The underlying idea is to construct transmissibilities that capture the local properties of a differential operator. This leads to a multi-point discretization scheme for a finite-volume solution algorithm. Transmissibilities for the MSFV method are preferably constructed only once as a preprocessing step and can be computed locally.

US Patent:

7505882, Mar 17, 2009

Filed:

Mar 15, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/377760

Inventors:

Patrick Jenny - Zurich, CH
Hamdi A. Tchelepi - San Mateo CA, US
Seong H. Lee - Emeryville CA, US

Assignee:

Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - San Ramon CA

International Classification:

G06F 17/10
G06G 7/48

US Classification:

703 2, 703 10, 702 12

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are provided for solving a non-linear S-shaped function F=ƒ(S) which is representative of a property S in a physical system, such saturation in a reservoir simulation. A Newton iteration (T) is performed on the function ƒ(S) at Sto determine a next iterative value S. It is then determined whether Sis located on the opposite side of the inflection point Sfrom S. If Sis located on the opposite side of the inflection point from S, then Sis set to S, a modified new estimate. The modified new estimate, S, is preferably set to either the inflection point, S, or to an average value between Sand S, i. e. , S=0. 5(S+S). The above steps are repeated until Sis within the predetermined convergence criteria. Also, solution algorithms are described for two-phase and three-phase flow with gravity and capillary pressure.

US Patent:

7546229, Jun 9, 2009

Filed:

Nov 22, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/995764

Inventors:

Patrick Jenny - Zurich, CH
Seong Lee - Emeryville CA, US
Hamdi A. Tchelepi - San Mateo CA, US

Assignee:

Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - San Ramon CA
Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Houston TX

International Classification:

G06G 7/48

US Classification:

703 10

Abstract:

A multi-scale finite-volume (MSFV) method to solve elliptic problems with a plurality of spatial scales arising from single or multi-phase flows in porous media is provided. Two sets of locally computed basis functions are employed. A first set of basis functions captures the small-scale heterogeneity of the underlying permeability field, and it is computed to construct the effective coarse-scale transmissibilities. A second set of basis functions is required to construct a conservative fine-scale velocity field. The method efficiently captures the effects of small scales on a coarse grid, is conservative, and treats tensor permeabilities correctly. The underlying idea is to construct transmissibilities that capture the local properties of a differential operator. This leads to a multi-point discretization scheme for a finite-volume solution algorithm. Transmissibilities for the MSFV method are preferably constructed only once as a preprocessing step and can be computed locally.

US Patent:

7565278, Jul 21, 2009

Filed:

Dec 4, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/566609

Inventors:

Liyong Li - Livermore CA, US
Seong H. Lee - Emeryville CA, US
Clair Jensen - Oakland CA, US

Assignee:

Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - San Ramon CA

International Classification:

G06F 7/60
G06F 17/10
G06G 7/58

US Classification:

703 10, 703 2

Abstract:

A three-dimensional hybrid reservoir model representative of a fractured subterranean reservoir is created for simulating fluid flow. The model includes porous matrix blocks and a network of long fractures, which include two-dimensional fracture blocks, that ideally overly and are fluidly connected to the matrix blocks. To simulate fluid flow, matrix and fracture flow equations are obtained and effective fluid flow transmissibilities are determined. The matrix and fracture flow equations are then coupled via the effective fluid flow transmissibilities, such that they can be solved simultaneously for flow responses. The long fractures can be in direct fluid communication with one or more intersecting wells or other fractures. These intersections can be modeled as a point source to enhance numerical stability during simulation. The fracture characteristics, such as orientation, fracture aperture, fracture length, and fracture height, are more realistically modeled using this approach compared to previously known reservoir models.

US Patent:

7765091, Jul 27, 2010

Filed:

Jun 14, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/763109

Inventors:

Seong H. Lee - Emeryville CA, US
Christian Wolfsteiner - Oakland CA, US
Hamdi A. Tchelepi - San Mateo CA, US
Patrick Jenny - Zurich, CH
Ivan Fabrizio Lunati - Zurich, CH

Assignee:

Chevron U.S.A Inc. - San Ramon CA
Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Houston TX
ETH Zurich - Zurich

International Classification:

G06G 7/58

US Classification:

703 10

Abstract:

A multi-scale finite-volume (MSFV) method simulates nonlinear immiscible three-phase compressible flow in the presence of gravity and capillary forces. Consistent with the MSFV framework, flow and transport are treated separately and differently using a fully implicit sequential algorithm. The pressure field is solved using an operator splitting algorithm. The general solution of the pressure is decomposed into an elliptic part, a buoyancy/capillary force dominant part, and an inhomogeneous part with source/sink and accumulation. A MSFV method is used to compute the basis functions of the elliptic component, capturing long range interactions in the pressure field. Direct construction of the velocity field and solution of the transport problem on the primal coarse grid provides flexibility in accommodating physical mechanisms. A MSFV method computes an approximate pressure field, including a solution of a course-scale pressure equation; constructs fine-scale fluxes; and computes a phase-transport equation.

US Patent:

8204726, Jun 19, 2012

Filed:

May 14, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/466171

Inventors:

Seong H. Lee - Berkeley CA, US
Hui Zhou - Stanford CA, US
Hamdi A. Tchelepi - Belmont CA, US

Assignee:

Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - San Ramon CA
Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Houston TX

International Classification:

G06G 7/48
G06F 17/10

US Classification:

703 10, 703 2, 702 12

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.

US Patent:

8650016, Feb 11, 2014

Filed:

Oct 27, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/912958

Inventors:

Ivan Fabrizio Lunati - Vaud, CH
Manav Tyagi - Zürich, CH
Seong H. Lee - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - San Ramon CA

International Classification:

G06F 7/60
G06F 17/10
G06G 7/48
G06G 7/50

US Classification:

703 10, 703 2, 703 6, 703 9

Abstract:

A Multiscale Finite Volume (MSFV) method is provided to efficiently solve large heterogeneous problems; it is usually employed for pressure equations and delivers conservative flux fields to be used in transport problems. It relies on the hypothesis that the fine-scale problem can be described by a set of local solutions coupled by a conservative coarse-scale problem. In numerically challenging cases, a more accurate localization approximation is used to obtain a good approximation of the fine-scale solution. According to an embodiment, a method is provided to iteratively improve the boundary conditions of the local problems, and is responsive to the data structure of the underlying MSFV method and employs a Krylov-subspace projection method to obtain an unconditionally stable scheme and accelerate convergence. In one embodiment the MSFV operator is used. Alternately, the MSFV operator is combined with an operator derived from the problem solved to construct the conservative flux field.