Implicit Geological Modeling for Faulted Unconformities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for modeling sedimentary basins struggle to accurately represent complex geological structures, such as faults and unconformities, using numerical techniques, often requiring extensive data interpretation and being sensitive to geometrical inaccuracies.
Innovation Solution
The method employs an implicit modeling technique that uses a background mesh to represent geological horizons as iso-surfaces of a scalar property field, allowing for the interpolation of conformable and non-conformable sequences, and accounts for fault activity by introducing internal discontinuities, thereby creating a watertight model that captures the complexity of the geologic environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional numerical techniques are used to model sedimentary basins, then the modeling process can be performed with standard methods, but the accuracy of representing complex geological structures such as faults and unconformities deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional explicit numerical modeling techniques with an implicit modeling approach. Instead of directly calculating and defining geological structures through numerical methods, the invention uses implicit functions where the geological structures are represented as level sets of continuous functions. This substitution allows for more accurate representation of complex features like faults and unconformities while maintaining computational feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite modeling framework that integrates multiple concepts: implicit functions, level set methods, and geological constraints. By combining these different mathematical and geological components, the model achieves high accuracy in representing complex structures without requiring overly complicated individual techniques.
2Measurement precision
If extensive data interpretation is performed to improve model accuracy, then the representation of geological structures improves, but the time and resources required for modeling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by establishing the implicit function framework and incorporating geological constraints before actual modeling and simulation. The implicit functions are defined to inherently satisfy geological rules (such as fault continuity and unconformity relationships), so that when the model is constructed, the geological accuracy is already built-in rather than requiring extensive post-processing interpretation.
Solution Approach 2:
The implicit modeling approach allows the system to self-adjust and self-constrain according to the defined geological rules. The mathematical framework automatically ensures that modeled structures adhere to geological principles without requiring manual intervention for every constraint, thereby reducing interpretation time while maintaining precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If the model is made sensitive to geometrical inaccuracies to ensure accuracy, then the precision of geological features improves, but the robustness of the modeling process deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter representation from explicit geometric coordinates to implicit function values. Instead of directly specifying the position of geological features through coordinates that are sensitive to inaccuracies, the model uses continuous scalar fields where features are defined as level sets. This parameter transformation makes the model inherently more robust to small geometric variations while preserving precision through the continuous nature of the implicit functions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method can include providing a mesh of a geologic environment that includes conformable sequences and an unconformity; interpolating an implicit function defined with respect to the mesh to provide values for the implicit function; and identifying an iso-surface based on a portion of the values where the iso-surface represents the unconformity as residing between two of the conformable sequences. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.