Assisted History Matching Using Streamline Simulation

The quantity and quality of the information obtained from modern reservoir characterization techniques is still not sufficient to perfectly represent the reservoir. Therefore, reservoir models must be calibrated in order to provide a more reliable production forecast. This process is called production history matching. History matching is one of the most time-consuming tasks of a reservoir study due to the complexity of the process, multiple acceptable solutions, and demand for specialist knowledge. Many times this task is still based on a trial and error procedure, which is normally very inefficient because it involves a large number of cycles. This paper shows that it is possible to integrate the experience of the professionals involved in the process with some automatic techniques to accelerate the process and to obtain better solutions. This process is called Assisted History Matching. The use of streamline simulation as a complementary technique is applied to allow a better understanding of fluid flow behavior on the reservoir, mapping heterogeneities location, and then choosing adequate geological parameters, such as permeability and porosity, according to the identified flow patterns. Reservoir parameters are modified along blocks mapped by the streamlines. Automatic procedures are then applied along with parallel computing to find the best combination of the selected parameters. The methodology was applied to a complex real field where satisfactory results were obtained.