A Hybrid Approach Based on the Combination of Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System and Imperialist Competitive Algorithm: Oil Flow Rate of the Wells Prediction Case Study

Abstract

In this paper, a novel hybrid approach composed of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and imperialist competitive algorithm is proposed. The imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA) is used in this methodology to determine the most suitable initial membership functions of the ANFIS. The proposed model combines the global search ability of ICA with local search ability of gradient descent method. To illustrate the suitability and capability of the proposed model, this model is applied to predict oil flow rate of the wells utilizing data set of 31 wells in one of the northern Persian Gulf oil fields of Iran. The data set collected in a three month period for each well from Dec. 2002 to Nov. 2010. For the sake of performance evaluation, the results of the proposed model are compared with the conventional ANFIS model. The results show that the significant improvements are achievable using the proposed model in comparison with the results obtained by conventional ANFIS.