Self-Consistent Earth Model Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current geologic, reservoir flow, and geomechanic models generate inconsistent earth models from the same input datasets, leading to incoherent conclusions for reservoir management, which hinders accurate prediction of rock and fluid properties in subsurface formations, such as hydrocarbon reservoirs, affecting project costs and decision-making.
Innovation Solution
A method is developed to generate self-consistent earth models by building structured geologic volumes, generating mineralogy, porosity, and density volumes, and creating geophysical property volumes based on relationships between P-wave and S-wave velocities, followed by mechanical earth modeling using mechanical elastic properties, density, and pressure volumes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate geologic, reservoir flow, and geomechanic models are generated from the same input datasets, then each model can be independently created, but the models produce inconsistent earth models leading to incoherent conclusions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges previously separate geologic, reservoir flow, and geomechanic models into a unified integrated earth model. This is achieved by combining multiple input datasets (seismic data, well logs, core data) and processing them through a single system that generates consistent rock properties, fluid properties, and mechanical properties simultaneously, eliminating the inconsistencies that arose from independent model creation.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated earth model system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it generates geologic models, reservoir flow models, and geomechanic models within a single unified framework. The system universally processes various input data types and produces multiple output model types that are all consistent with each other, replacing the need for separate specialized modeling systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate models are created independently, then modeling flexibility is maintained, but the ability to compare results and ensure reliability is inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines multiple modeling functions into a unified framework where geologic, reservoir flow, and geomechanic models are generated simultaneously from the same input datasets using consistent rock properties. This merging enables direct comparison of results across different model types while maintaining the flexibility to perform each type of modeling analysis.
3Device complexity
If traditional separate modeling approaches are used, then computational complexity is reduced, but accurate prediction of rock and fluid properties in subsurface formations is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the processing of multiple input datasets (seismic data, well logs, core data) into a single integrated workflow that simultaneously generates consistent rock properties, fluid properties, and mechanical properties. This unified approach improves prediction accuracy by ensuring all properties are derived from the same underlying data and are mutually consistent, despite the increased computational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of generating a self-consistent earth model are provided. One embodiment comprises: a) building a structured geologic; b) generating a mineralogy volume; c) generating a porosity volume and a density volume; d) generating a pressure volume; e) generating a geophysical property volume comprising a P-wave velocity volume and a S-wave velocity volume, a relationship between P-wave velocity and S-wave velocity, or any combination thereof; f) generating mechanical elastic properties based on (i) a static to dynamic elastic property relationship and (ii) the geophysical property volume, the relationship between P-wave velocity and S-wave velocity, or any combination thereof; and g) performing mechanical earth modeling using the mechanical elastic properties, the density volume, and the pressure volume to generate a self-consistent earth model.