US 2021/0240889 A1 · Discontinuous Interpolation Using Continuous Formulation, C1 or C0 FEM Discretization, and Scalable Solver

Abstract

A methodology for discontinuous smooth interpolation in order to generate a curve of a discontinuous volume due to one or more faults in a subsurface is disclosed. Faults in a subsurface result in discontinuities in the subsurface. Hydrocarbon management may seek to determine various surfaces in the subsurface, including across the faults in the subsurface. To generate the various surfaces, a continuous formulation of the interpolation method is followed in which discontinuous smooth interpolation is viewed as a variational optimization problem (such as an energy optimization problem) for the surface curvature function. In this way, the methodology does not require that the input data be located at grid points and discretized with a structured regular grid. Rather, because a continuous function is used, an unstructured grid may also be used to discretize the resulting equation.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for discontinuous smooth interpolation in order to generate a curve of a discontinuous volume due to one or more faults in a subsurface, the method comprising:

accessing an at least partly continuous formulation;
discretizing the at least partly continuous formulation with respect to a subsurface grid in order to generate a set of equations;
solving the set of equations using the discontinuous smooth interpolation in order to generate the curve of the discontinuous volume by enforcing at least one of value constraints or orientation constraints;
and
using the curve in order to manage hydrocarbons or to output an image of the curve.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Discontinuous Interpolation Using Continuous Formulation, C1 or C0 FEM Discretization, and Scalable Solver

Life of this patent

Discontinuous Interpolation Using Continuous Formulation, C1 or C0 FEM Discretization, and Scalable Solver

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21