Field Development Plan Optimization With Structural Uncertainty

Field development plan optimization under uncertainty requires a consistent analysis of well placement across the geological realizations to evaluate the selected cost function. Special care has to be taken in the well trajectory description in the target zone, to allow in the same formulation vertical, deviated and directional well assessment for a more effective decision making. In case of structural uncertainty well trajectories will cross different grid elements in each realization. The workflow proposes a methodology to screen well trajectories based on the expected productivity overall the realizations and the fulfillment of user defined constrains. Well constrains can include, inter-well distance, well length, distance from the closest fault. For a consistent uncertainty propagation and an efficient optimization a nested optimization loop has also been proposed to allow the well screening before the actual reservoir simulation evaluation and allow only the most promising strategies to be evaluated and, therefore, reducing the overall computational burden. The workflow has been tested on a real reservoir case showing the strength of the methodology in assessing the location for an infill and a sidetrack well and improving the understanding of the reservoir dynamic behavior.