The research developed by the group includes the main activities related to the decision analysis process focused on the development and management of oil fields using reservoir simulation.
The main research lines of the group are:
Integration with reservoir characterization: The objective of this line is the representation of rock and fluid properties in simulators, including the treatment of uncertainties. Studies about the estimation of the value of information, the integration with 4D seismic and the building of benchmark cases are also included in this line.
Simulation techniques: This line involves the construction of simulation models aiming their reliability for the study of oil production process, including techniques such as meta-models or emulators.
History matching: The aim of this line is the development of models updating techniques through the use of dynamic data. Assisted history matching processes, probabilistic approaches and real time matching are some of the topics of research of this line.
Decision analysis: This line involves the study of the decision-making process for development and management of oil fields, addressing topics such as optimization of exploitation, selection of production strategies under uncertainties, risk analysis, smart fields, flexibility and robustness value and integration with production systems.
Reservoir applications: Oriented to the study of the pre-salt carbonate reservoirs, heavy oil reservoirs, naturally and hydraulically fractured reservoirs, mature fields, multi-reservoir simulations, WAG processes and polymer injection.
Auxiliary techniques: This line includes the study of optimization methods, parallel computing, integration with economic evaluation (including different tax schemes in Brazil) and modeling of production systems.
The group also aims to create methodologies and processes of task automation for the development and management of reservoirs oil by the development of computational tools integrated to the main current commercial simulators.
UNISIM is a research group created in 1996, focused in studies related to Numerical Simulation and Management of Petroleum Reservoirs. The group is attached to the Petroleum Engineering division of the Department of Energy of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at UNICAMP, and has the support of the Center for Petroleum Studies (CEPETRO).
Mission
The primary missions of UNISIM are teaching and research into numerical simulation and management of oil and gas reservoirs.
Objective
The main objectives of the group are to:
Increase the reliability of the studies and methodologies that use numerical reservoir simulation;
Improve the process of decision making in the exploration and production of oil and gas;
Develop techniques to enhance the efficiency of the researches through the management of multiple simulations runs;
Integrate reservoir simulation with reservoir engineering, geoscience, production engineering and economy;
Develop research in subjects related to the necessity of the E&P industry.
Example of control system (Adapted from Barreto, 2014)
A relevant aspect to a proper oil production forecast is well control, that is, the well control forecast. It is important to determine what type of operation will be executed in the future to get a more realistic production forecast. The execution of optimization studies of the control decision variables is one of the ways to add decision. Many studies do not take into account relevant details of existent alternatives for both conventional and smart wells.
The goal of this line of research at UNISIM is to develop methodologies to the control of smart fields aiming long-term profit maximization, using reservoir simulation and assisted optimization techniques. Studies focusing on the use of technologies of advanced well completions (AWC) have been developed to evaluate their application potential. However, there are many challenges regarding the viability of this technology.
The use of AWC adds flexibility to operation allowing producing more oil by controlling undesirable fluids. Depending on their application, different types of AWC technology for improving well productivity and maximizing sweep can be used. Advanced well completions can include, although not limited to: interval control valves (ICV) and inflow control devices (ICD).
UNISIM has the following themes in this line of research:
Modeling and implementation of the different advanced well completions in reservoir simulators.
Methodology to evaluate the viability of AWC considering technical and economic parameters.
Methodology for integrated operations and real time optimization focusing on control decision variables.
Methodology of the viability of the application of AWC in smart fields to a more effective control of the water injection through control valves.
