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US 10,914,140 B2Granted
Systems, methods, and apparatus for discrete fracture simulation of complex subsurface fracture geometries
AssigneesSim Tech LLC, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsKamy Sepehrnoori, Yifei Xu, Wei Yu, Jijun Miao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for simulating subterranean regions having multi-scale, complex fracture geometries. Non-intrusive embedded discrete fracture modeling formulations are applied in conjunction with commercial simulators to efficiently and accurately model subsurface characteristics in regions having complex hydraulic fractures, complex natural fractures, or a combination of both.
Claims21
A method for simulating a subterranean region having fracture geometries, comprising:
- obtaining data produced by a simulator module, the data representing the subterranean region and comprising matrix grid data and parameters associated with fractures in the subterranean region;
- in a computational domain separate from the simulator module, using the obtained data produced by the simulator module to produce a matrix grid by:
- identifying geometric interactions between fractures and matrix cells in the matrix grid;
- creating a new fracture cell for each segment of a fracture interacting with a matrix cell in the matrix grid;
- creating at least one null cell in the matrix grid to maintain the same number of cells in a row or column of the matrix grid as needed;
- cancelling at least one grid cell connection from the obtained data produced by the simulator module;
- assigning physical properties to each new created fracture cell;
- identifying geometric relationships between the new created fracture cells and between the new created fracture cells and the matrix cells;
- and
- calculating fluid flow transmissibility factors between the new created fracture cells and between the new created fracture cells and the matrix cells;
- inputting the calculated fluid flow transmissibility factors into the simulator module;
- generating a simulation of the subterranean region with the simulator module using the calculated fluid flow transmissibility factors.
9 more elements
A system for simulating a subterranean region having fracture geometries, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- a memory linked to the processor, the memory having instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform functions including to:
- input data produced by a simulator module, the data representing the subterranean region and comprising matrix grid data and parameters associated with fractures in the subterranean region;
- produce a matrix grid using the input data to:
- identify geometric interactions between fractures and matrix cells in the matrix grid;
- create a new fracture cell for each segment of a fracture interacting with a matrix cell in the matrix grid;
- create at least one null cell in the matrix grid to maintain the same number of cells in a row or column of the matrix grid as needed;
- cancel at least one grid cell connection from the input data produced by the simulator module;
- assign physical properties to each new created fracture cell;
- identify geometric relationships between the new created fracture cells and between the new created fracture cells and the matrix cells;
- calculate fluid flow transmissibility factors between the new created fracture cells and between the new created fracture cells and the matrix cells;
- input the calculated fluid flow transmissibility factors into the simulator module;
- and
- generate a simulation of the subterranean region with the simulator module using the calculated fluid flow transmissibility factors.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.