# US 2018/0322232 A1 · Representing structural uncertainty in a mesh representing a geological environment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0322232 A1 - Document ID: US20180322232A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/773,075 - Filed: 2016-11-03 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-04 - Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Applicants: Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Inventors: Jimmy Klinger; Thomas Laverne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180322232A1 ## CPC - G06F 30/23: using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM] - G01V 20/00: Geomodelling in general - E21B 41/00: Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 - G01V 2210/667: Determining confidence or uncertainty in parameters - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A method can include receiving a node-based mesh that represents a geologic environment and a structural feature in the geologic environment; defining a node-based parameter space for structural uncertainty of nodes that represent the structural feature in the geologic environment; defining a hull with respect to nodes of a portion of the mesh where the hull encompasses at least a portion of nodes that represent the structural feature; for a system of equations, imposing boundary conditions on the nodes of the hull and on the at least a portion of the nodes that represent the structural feature; solving the system of equations for a displacement field; and generating a structural uncertainty realization of the node-based mesh based at least in part on the displacement field. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method (1010) comprising: receiving a node-based mesh that represents a geologic environment and a structural feature in the geologic environment (1014); defining a node-based parameter space for structural uncertainty of nodes that represent the structural feature in the geologic environment (1018); defining a hull with respect to nodes of a portion of the mesh wherein the hull encompasses at least a portion of nodes that represent the structural feature (1020); for a system of equations, imposing boundary conditions on the nodes of the hull and on the at least a portion of the nodes that represent the structural feature (1024); solving the system of equations for a displacement field (1026); and generating a structural uncertainty realization of the node-based mesh based at least in part on the displacement field (1028). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising calculating attributes for the structural uncertainty realization of the node-based mesh. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the attributes comprises stratigraphic function values. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising performing a simulation of physical phenomena based at least in part on the structural uncertainty realization of the node-based mesh. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the system of equations comprises a linear system of equations. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the boundary conditions comprise fixed boundary conditions on the nodes of the hull. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the boundary conditions comprise displacement boundary conditions on the at least a portion of the nodes that represent the structural feature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the system of equations are based at least in part on a kernel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the structural feature comprises a fault. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the generating comprises displacing nodes within the hull based at least in part on displacements of the displacement field. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein displacing the nodes generates a new mesh as the structural uncertainty realization. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the node-based parameter space comprises a volume defined by at least one parameter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the volume comprises an ellipsoid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the node-based parameter space comprises a number of degrees of freedom. ### Claim 15 A system (400) comprising: a processor (403); memory operatively coupled to the processor (404); and one or more modules (407) that comprise instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to instruct the system wherein the instructions comprise instructions to: receive a node-based mesh that represents a geologic environment and a structural feature in the geologic environment (1015); define a node-based parameter space for structural uncertainty of nodes that represent the structural feature in the geologic environment (1019); define a hull with respect to nodes of a portion of the mesh wherein the hull encompasses at least a portion of nodes that represent the structural feature (1021); for a system of equations, impose boundary conditions on the nodes of the hull and on the at least a portion of the nodes that represent the structural feature (1025); solve the system of equations for a displacement field (1027); and generate a structural uncertainty realization of the node-based mesh based at least in part on the displacement field (1029). ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more modules comprise a simulation module that simulates physical phenomena based at least in part on the structural uncertainty realization. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more modules comprise a stratigraphic function module that generates stratigraphic function values for the structural uncertainty realization of the node-based mesh. ### Claim 18 One or more computer-readable storage media that comprise computer-executable instructions to instruct a computing device, the instructions comprising instructions to: receive a node-based mesh that represents a geologic environment and a structural feature in the geologic environment (1015); define a node-based parameter space for structural uncertainty of nodes that represent the structural feature in the geologic environment (1019); define a hull with respect to nodes of a portion of the mesh wherein the hull encompasses at least a portion of nodes that represent the structural feature (1021); for a system of equations, impose boundary conditions on the nodes of the hull and on the at least a portion of the nodes that represent the structural feature (1025); solve the system of equations for a displacement field (1027); and generate a structural uncertainty realization of the node-based mesh based at least in part on the displacement field (1029). ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18 comprising instructions to simulate physical phenomena based at least in part on the structural uncertainty realization. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18 comprising instructions to define at least one boundary condition based at least in part on sampling of the parameter space.