About This Item
- Full TextFull Text(subscription required)
- Pay-Per-View PurchasePay-Per-View
Purchase Options Explain
Share This Item
The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database
AAPG Bulletin
Abstract
AAPG Bulletin, V.
2006. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.
DOI:10.1306/03130605148
Three-dimensional geomechanical
modeling
for constraint of subseismic fault simulation
![Previous Hit](/data/images/arrow_left.gif)
![Next Hit](/data/images/arrow_right.gif)
Laurent Maerten,1 Paul Gillespie,2 Jean-Marc Daniel3
1IGEOSS sarl, Cap Omega, Rond Point Benjamin Franklin, Montpellier Cedex 2, France; [email protected]
2Norsk Hydro Research Center, Sandsliveien 90, Norway; [email protected]
3Institut Franais du P
trole, 1 et 4 avenue de Bois-Pr
au, Rueil-Malmaison Cedex, France; [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Within any faulted reservoir, there are large numbers of faults that are below the resolution of seismic
surveys. Some of these faults are encountered in wells, but most of them remain undetected. Such subseismic faults can significantly influence the flow of hydrocarbons during production. The size distribution of subseismic faults can be predicted by extrapolating the size distribution measured at the
seismic
scale down to the subseismic scale. However, the positions and orientations of the subseismic faults are more difficult to determine. A method based on mechanical
modeling
is described here to constrain the positions and orientations of subseismic faults. The large, seismically resolvable faults are brought into a three-dimensional (3-D) numerical mechanical model to determine the stress conditions near these faults at the time of faulting. The stress field is then combined with a Coulomb failure criterion to predict the orientations and densities of the smaller faults. This information is represented on a pair of grids (i.e., a density and strike grid). The grids are then used to condition two-dimensional or 3-D stochastic models of faulting, which use a power-law distribution and/or stochastic growth processes to simulate subseismic faults. Two contrasting stochastic methods are used: (1) a method in which the subseismic faults are placed in the volume as fully grown structures and (2) a method in which the faults are allowed to grow and interact. The Oseberg S
r reservoir, northern North Sea, is used as an example of the application of these methods. Methods for incorporating modeled subseismic faults into the reservoir-flow simulation are also discussed.
Pay-Per-View Purchase Options
The article is available through a document delivery service. Explain these Purchase Options.
Watermarked PDF Document: $14 | |
Open PDF Document: $24 |
AAPG Member?
Please login with your Member username and password.
Members of AAPG receive access to the full AAPG Bulletin Archives as part of their membership. For more information, contact the AAPG Membership Department at [email protected].