Ocean Framework, C#
Petrobras needed a tool integrated into Petrel® capable of supporting reservoir engineers in evaluating water injection pressure limits, using geological fault reactivation as the safety criterion. The problem is physically complex: it depends on reservoir thickness, overburden, fault inclination, loading configuration, and dynamic interaction with the injection operation over time.
A rigorous mechanical analysis of this scenario would require finite element simulations for every configuration investigated, which is unfeasible within the operational workflow of a reservoir engineering team.
The challenge was to deliver the accuracy of a finite element mechanical analysis with the agility required by field routine, integrating this capability natively into the Petrel environment. It was also necessary to allow this analysis to be continuously updated based on the results of flow simulations already executed, identifying over time the reservoir cells in which pressure reaches the critical fault reactivation limit.
The natural evolution of the product required, in a second phase, the full automation of geometric parameter extraction directly from the Petrel data tree, eliminating manual inputs, and the direct integration of results with flow simulations across multiple timesteps.
DeepSoft developed PLIM, a native Petrel® plug-in that computes injection pressure limits using a smart strategy of querying a pre-computed database of finite element mechanical analyses. Instead of running structural simulations in real time, the plug-in interpolates pre-calculated results from the geometric parameters of the reservoir and faults, delivering results in seconds with the reliability of a rigorous mechanical analysis.
In a second phase of the project, DeepSoft won a new Petrobras tender for the evolution of the tool, adding:
Automatic parameter extraction from Petrel: identification of faults and adjacent grid cells, automatic calculation of reservoir thickness, determination of overburden per cell, and retrieval of fault geometric information, all directly from the project data tree.
Batch execution for all loading configurations: the module automatically runs PLIM for all possible configurations in each identified cell.
Integration with flow simulation results: the plug-in reads simulation results already imported into Petrel across multiple timesteps, comparing the obtained pressure variations with the reactivation criteria computed by PLIM.
Automatic generation of response maps: output maps at each timestep, with configurable color scale and output as a new grid property, horizon, or surface, according to user configuration.
Maximum variations map: a consolidated map containing, for each cell, the maximum pressure variation observed across all simulated timesteps, a direct tool for identifying the critical regions of the reservoir.
The strategy of querying a database of pre-computed finite element analyses delivered the reliability of rigorous structural analysis with a response time compatible with the operational workflow of reservoir engineering teams.
The evolution to automatic parameter extraction and direct integration with flow simulations eliminated case by case manual configuration, turning a point analysis into a continuous monitoring tool for injection operations.
The maximum pressure variation maps give engineers a consolidated and immediate view of the reservoir regions closest to the fault reactivation limit, supporting injection planning decisions and operational risk mitigation.
The ongoing relationship with Petrobras allowed PLIM to evolve through successive cycles, always aligned with the actual needs of the technical teams, keeping the tool relevant and operational across multiple phases of its life cycle.