Geologic Fault Modeling With Zero-Gap Hexahedral Grids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing geologic modeling techniques struggle to accurately represent faults in subsurface formations, leading to inaccuracies in reservoir characterization and hydrocarbon production modeling.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a hexahedral cell grid with zero gap corner node displacement constraints to represent faults in a geologic environment, generating a depositional space grid that prevents gapping between fault sides, enabling accurate characterization of hydrocarbon production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If hexahedral cell grid is used to represent faults in geologic environment, then computational efficiency is improved, but accuracy at fault lines deteriorates due to gapping between opposing sides
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces zero gap corner node displacement constraints as an intermediary mechanism between the hexahedral cell grid and fault representation. These constraints act as mediator equations that enforce continuity across fault lines by relating the displacement of corner nodes on opposite sides of a fault, thereby eliminating gaps while preserving the computational efficiency of the hexahedral grid structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the standard hexahedral grid parameters by introducing additional constraint equations (zero gap corner node displacement constraints) that change the behavior of corner nodes at fault interfaces. These parameter changes enforce specific displacement relationships between nodes on opposite sides of faults, transforming the grid from a simple geometric structure to a physically constrained model that prevents gapping.
2Measurement precision
If zero gap corner node displacement constraints are applied, then accuracy of fault representation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fault representation into discrete elements defined by element nodes, with each fault segment independently constrained by zero gap corner node displacement constraints. This segmentation allows the complex fault geometry to be broken down into manageable portions, each handled by standard finite element techniques, thereby reducing overall modeling complexity while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The zero gap corner node displacement constraints serve multiple functions simultaneously: they represent fault geometry, enforce continuity conditions, and provide boundary conditions for the finite element analysis. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate modeling components, thereby reducing overall device complexity despite the added constraint equations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method can include accessing a hexahedral cell grid, defined by corner nodes, that represents a geologic environment, where hexahedral cells of the hexahedral cell grid overlap in a region of the geologic environment that includes a fault, where the fault is represented by discrete elements defined by element nodes; generating a depositional space grid that represents the geologic environment in a depositional space using the hexahedral cell grid and zero gap corner node displacement constraints for overlapping hexahedral cells that represent different sides of the fault, where the zero gap corner node displacement constraints are formulated using the element nodes of the fault that are embedded in the overlapping hexahedral cells to constrain corner node displacements to prevent gapping between opposing sides of the fault; and characterizing the geologic environment with respect to hydrocarbon production using the depositional space grid.