Patent ID: 9026418
Filing Date: 2015-05-05
Classification: G01V

Abstract:
1. A method for assessing reservoir connectivity in a subsurface region for the purpose of planning and managing production of hydrocarbons from the subsurface region, comprising: (a) creating a geologic cellular model in a computer of at least a portion of the subsurface region, said model containing a value of a selected geophysical property for each cell of the model; (b) determining a front propagation speed for each cell as a function of the selected geophysical property; (c) selecting a source object and a target object in the model, wherein source object is associated with one or more source cells and the target object is associated with one or more target cells; (d) for a plurality of cells in the model excluding source and target cells, calculating arrival time for a front beginning at the source object to reach one of the cells in the plurality of cells in a computer, then calculating the arrival time for a front beginning at the target object to reach the one of the cells in the plurality of cells in a computer, then adding the two calculated times together and creating a two-way total arrival time for the one of the cells in the plurality of cells, said arrival time being calculated using the determined front propagation speed; (e) determining one or more distinct paths connecting source and target objects by calculating and using gradients of the two-way total arrival times and/or curvatures of the two-way total arrival times at the plurality of cells, wherein determining one or more distinct paths by using gradients of two-way total arrival times at the plurality of model cells comprises: (f) assessing reservoir connectivity between source and target objects using the one or more distinct paths; and (g) planning or managing production of hydrocarbons from the subsurface region using the reservoir connectivity assessment.