Real-Time Water Injection Monitoring with Distributed Fiber Optics Using Physics-Informed Machine Learning

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel technique that allows real-time injection monitoring with distributed fiber optics using physics-informed machine learning methods and presents results from Clair Ridge asset where a cloud-based, real-time application is deployed. Clair Ridge is a structural high comprising of naturally fractured Devonian to Carboniferous continental sandstones, with a significantly naturally fractured ridge area. The fractured nature of the reservoir lends itself to permanent deployment of Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing (DFOS) to enable real-time injection monitoring to maximise recovery from the field. In addition to their default limitations, such as providing a snapshot measurement and disturbing the natural well flow with up and down flowing passes, wireline-conveyed production logs (PL) are also unable to provide a high-resolution profile of the water injection along the reservoir due to the completion type. DFOS offers unique surveillance capability when permanently installed along the reservoir interface and continuously providing injection profiles with full visibility along the reservoir section without the need for an intervention. The real-time injection monitoring application uses both distributed acoustic and temperature sensing (DAS & DTS) and is based on physics-informed machine learning models. It is now running and available to all asset users on the cloud. So far, the application has generated high-resolution injection profiles over a dozen multi-rate injection periods automatically and the results are cross-checked against the profiles from the warmback analyses that were also generated automatically as part of the same application. The real-time monitoring insights have been effectively applied to provide significant business value using the capability for start-up optimization to manage and improve injection conformance, monitor fractured formations and caprock monitoring.