Approaches to Proxy Modeling of Gas Reservoirs

In the gas industry, accurate forecasting of gas production is critical for optimizing well operating conditions. Although traditional hydrodynamic models offer high accuracy, they are often computationally intensive and time-consuming, prompting a growing interest in proxy-based alternatives. This study proposes a hybrid methodology based on Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Networks (ST-GNNs) for gas production forecasting. The methodology integrates graph neural networks to account for spatial interdependencies between wells with recurrent and convolutional neural networks for time-series analysis. The model was validated using an extensive set of hydrodynamic simulation calculations and real-world field data. On average, the ST-GNN method reduces computational time by a factor of 4.3 compared to traditional hydrodynamic models, with a median predictive error not exceeding 10% across diverse datasets, despite variability in specific scenarios. The ST-GNN framework demonstrates promising potential as a tool for operational and strategic planning.