Three-dimensional fracture abundance evaluation of subsurface formation based on geomechanical simulation of mechanical properties thereof

An apparatus, comprising:

• at least one processing unit;
• and
• program code configured upon execution by the at least one processing unit to evaluate fracture abundance in a subsurface formation by:
• generating fracture data for the subsurface formation from geomechanical simulation of mechanical properties associated with the subsurface formation;
• defining a fracture network within a plurality of three-dimensional cells of a three-dimensional model of the subsurface formation using the fracture data;
• generating a plurality of geometric primitives representing the fracture network, the geometric primitives being arranged within the plurality of three-dimensional cells of the three-dimensional model;
• projecting a first geometric primitive of the plurality of geometric primitives within a first three-dimensional cell of the plurality of three-dimensional cells onto a plurality of orthogonal planes respectively aligned with faces of the first three-dimensional cell to define a plurality of two-dimensional projections and calculating areas of each of the two-dimensional projections;
• determining a total area of the first geometric primitive within the first three-dimensional cell by summing the areas of the two-dimensional projections, wherein determining the total area of the first geometric primitive further includes clipping the first geometric primitive in response to determining that the first geometric primitive is partially disposed within the first three-dimensional cell;
• determining a fracture abundance parameter based on the determined total area of the first geometric primitive;
• and
• performing a fluid flow simulation using the determined fracture abundance parameter to estimate fluid flow through the fracture network.

A program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium;
• and
• program code stored on the computer readable medium and configured upon execution by at least one processing unit to evaluate fracture abundance in a subsurface formation by:
• generating fracture data for the subsurface formation from geomechanical simulation of mechanical properties associated with the subsurface formation;
• defining a fracture network within a plurality of three-dimensional cells of a three-dimensional model of the subsurface formation using the fracture data;
• generating a plurality of geometric primitives representing the fracture network, the geometric primitives being arranged within the plurality of three-dimensional cells of the three-dimensional model;
• projecting a first geometric primitive of the plurality of geometric primitives within a first three-dimensional cell of the plurality of three-dimensional cells onto a plurality of orthogonal planes respectively aligned with faces of the first three-dimensional cell to define a plurality of two-dimensional projections and calculating areas of each of the two-dimensional projections;
• determining a total area of the first geometric primitive within the first three-dimensional cell by summing the areas of the two-dimensional projections, wherein determining the total area of the first geometric primitive further includes clipping the first geometric primitive in response to determining that the first geometric primitive is partially disposed within the first three-dimensional cell;
• determining a fracture abundance parameter based on the determined total area of the first geometric primitive;
• and
• performing a fluid flow simulation using the determined fracture abundance parameter to estimate fluid flow through the fracture network.