Genetic algorithm for predicting permeability during production enhancement by acidizing

Acidizing, a very common stimulation process, is generally initiated when n ear wellbore formation damage causes a reduction in the productivity of an oil or gas reservoir. The ultimate goal of acidizing is to improve the near wellbore permeability and hence it is required that the permeability chang e due to the process be evaluated. Predictions of permeability alteration c an be made before starting a project, and also, the altered permeability ca n be stated after the process. This paper describes a computer model that p redicts the permeability alteration of an acidization process. A complete c omputer package is developed which consists of iterative optimizations and huge computations in order to simulate the permeability and porosity change s at each point during the process and, finally, to predict the post proces s permeability. As the optimization algorithm. a genetic algorithm which is somewhat more effective than the conventional ones, is used in the compute r model. Thus a solution technique for a permeability prediction problem in acidizing is presented in this paper with all its uniqueness of type and e ffectiveness in practical applications.