Conformal Mesh Grid Refinement for Geological Discontinuities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for modeling sedimentary basins struggle to accurately represent geological discontinuities and stratigraphic features, leading to inadequate simulation of fluid flow and rock properties, especially in complex depositional domains.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the creation of a conformal mesh and grid refinement, where grid cells traversed by geological discontinuities are split into sub-cells defined by new nodes, allowing for improved representation of geological features and properties, and enabling simulations of fluid flow and rock type interpolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If grid cells are refined to capture geological discontinuities, then measurement precision of geological features improves, but device complexity of the grid structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grid is segmented into multiple levels of refinement, with grid cells being divided into sub-cells only where geological discontinuities are present. This allows high measurement precision in critical areas while maintaining simpler grid structures in homogeneous regions, thus resolving the contradiction between accuracy and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the grid are assigned different levels of refinement quality based on the presence of geological features. Areas with discontinuities receive refined sub-cells for accurate representation, while areas without features use coarser grid cells, optimizing the balance between precision and computational complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If grid cells are split into sub-cells to represent geological discontinuities, then manufacturing precision of the geological model improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Grid cells are segmented into sub-cells only where geological discontinuities require high precision representation. This selective segmentation achieves manufacturing precision for the geological model while avoiding unnecessary complexity in regions where high precision is not required.
Solution Approach 2:
The grid refinement process is performed preliminarily before simulation, with grid cells being split into sub-cells in advance based on the identification of geological discontinuities. This preliminary action ensures high model precision while allowing the simulation process to work with a pre-prepared, optimized grid structure.
3Measurement precision
If conformal mesh is used to capture geological features, then measurement precision of rock properties improves, but ease of operation for simulation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The computational domain is segmented into conformal mesh regions that align with geological features, improving rock property measurement precision. The system automatically manages the complexity of operating on this segmented grid through systematic cell identification and processing routines.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method can include providing, in a geological domain, a conformal mesh, conformal to geological discontinuities of a geological model, that includes depositional domain coordinates associated with a depositional domain; providing, in the depositional domain, an initial, at least vertically structured, multidimensional grid that includes initial nodes that define grid cells; referencing the conformal mesh to identify a set of grid cells of the initial grid traversed by the geological discontinuities; splitting each of the grid cells in the set to form sub cells, each of the sub cells defined at least in part by one or more new nodes; and assigning geological domain coordinates associated with the geological domain to at least the new nodes to generate a final grid that includes the initial nodes, the new nodes and geological domain coordinates associated with the geological domain. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.