Artificial Neural Network An Accurate Tool for Petroleum Engineering

Artificial Neural Network (ANN) as a branch of virtual intelligence based on the behavior of the human brain has been developed since 1940.This technique has received growing attention in recent decades. The use of ANNs as a powerful and accurate tool helps engineers to solve the problems which are difficult to solve wite common or traditional mathematical methods. Thus it provides a good opportunity for petroleum engineers to use ANNs in the oil and gas industries. There are several applicable paradigms of A NN in the petroleum industry involving field development, well test data interpretation, reservoir characterization, well completion, fault detection, permeability prediction, two phase flow modeling, pipeline pressure drop and temperature gradient determination and so on. This paper overviews historical development and introduces structure of ANNs. Their applications in oil and gas industries will be also discussed extensively.