Patent ID: 7434619
Filing Date: 2008-10-14
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A method for continuously optimizing reservoir well and surface network systems, comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting an input stimulus having a predetermined signature downhole into a wellbore and controlling in a predetermined manner in response to the predetermined signature a downhole apparatus adapted to be disposed in said wellbore; (b) continuously monitoring an actual characteristic of a wellbore fluid flowing in a tubing of said downhole apparatus in response to the transmitting step and generating actual signals representative of said actual characteristic of said wellbore fluid; (c) predicting a target characteristic of said wellbore fluid flowing in said tubing and generating target signals representative of said target characteristic of said wellbore fluid; (d) comparing said actual signals with said target signals and executing a monitoring and control process when said actual signals are not approximately equal to said target signals: (e) changing the predetermined signature of said input stimulus in response to the executing step thereby generating a second input stimulus having a second predetermined signature; and (f) repeating steps (a) through (e), using said second input stimulus, and continuously changing the predetermined signature of the input stimulus until said actual signals are approximately equal to said target signals; and (g) generating a second target signal representative of said target characteristic of said wellbore fluid when, after the repeating step (f), said actual signals are not approximately equal to said target signals.