Process for three-dimensional mathematical modeling of underground geologic volumes
AssigneeStratamodel, Inc.
InventorDonald C. Swanson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for modeling a bounded volume having a given geologic stratigraphic pattern, other than a volume having layers of uniform thickness parallel to mean sea level. The process comprises the steps of constructing a separate grid for each critical surface bounding said volume and constructing layers of cells according to the stratigraphic pattern.
Claims16
A process for modeling a geologic volume bounded by critical surfaces, the volume having a given geologic stratigraphic pattern, other than a volume having depositional layers parallel to mean sea level, the process comprising the steps of:
- a. constructing a separate grid for each critical surface bounding said volume;
- and
- b. constructing layers of cells within said volume according to said pattern.
A process for modeling a stratigraphic geologic subvolume including an inclined initiating surface, a limiting surface and layers of sediments spanning an interval of geologic time occupying the space between said surfaces, which comprises:
- dividing said space into a plurality of laterally disposed, laterally aligned and vertically spaced grids of elemental cells, each cell having a reference point at each of its corners, the reference points in each said grid positioned to be along a grid layer of sediments of the same geologic time and to be equally spaced horizontally from each laterally adjacent reference point in said grid;
- vertically spacing said grids such that each said reference point in a vertical column of reference points is equidistant from each next adjacent reference point in said column;
- assigning representative x, y, z coordinates to each said reference point such that each elemental cell in said space may be identified by the sets of said coordinates at its respective corners;
- and
- reproducibly recording said sets of coordinates in digital form.
A process for modeling a geologic subvolume including an inclined originating surface, a limiting surface, and layers of sediments spanning an interval of geologic time occupying the space between said surfaces, which comprises:
- (1) dividing said space into a plurality of cells by
- (a) constructing a grid for said originating surface;
- (b) constructing layers of laterally disposed cells from said grid, the cells in successive said layers aligned in vertical columns;
- (2) assigning a set of coordinates to each said cell, whereby each said cell may be identified by its respective coordinates;
- (3) reproducibly and systematically recording said sets of coordinates;
- and
- (4) reproducibly recording a characteristic of a given cell in association with the coordinates of said given cell.
A process for modeling a bounded geologic volume, other than a volume having depositional layers parallel to mean sea level, having a given geologic stratigraphic pattern and a given initiating critical surface, comprising the steps of:
- (a) constructing a separate grid for each critical surface bounding said volume;
- and
- (b) constructing layers of cells between said grids and substantially parallel to said given initiating critical surface.
A method using a stored program processor to model a geologic volume bounded by critical surfaces including an initiating critical surface, at least one limiting critical surface, and a stratigraphic pattern which includes inclined depositional layers, comprising the steps of:
- a. constructing naive initiating and limiting grids to represent the initiating and each limiting critical surface of the geologic volume, said grids defining a space representative of said volume;
- and
- b. constructing layers of cells within said space using one of said grids as a boundary for a first layer and in a configuration corresponding to said stratigraphic pattern.
A method using a stored program processor to model a geologic volume bounded by an initiating critical surface and a limiting critical surface with inclined depositional layers interposed between the two critical surfaces in a given stratigraphic pattern, comprising:
- a. constructing an initiating grid to represent the initiating surface;
- b. constructing a limiting grid to represent the limiting surface;
- and
- c. constructing layers of cells between the initiating grid and the limiting grid in accordance with the given stratigraphic pattern with the cells arranged in vertical columns from layer to layer.
A method using a stored program processor of modeling a geologic volume having depositional layers in a given stratigraphic pattern which includes layers other than horizontal which are bounded by an initiating surface and a limiting surface, comprising the steps of:
- a. constructing a first grid representative of the initiating surface and a second grid representative of the limiting surface;
- b. constructing spaced grids intermediate the first and second grids representative of depositional layering in accord with the given stratigraphic pattern;
- c. filling the space between the grids with cells arranged in vertical columns with adjacent cells in each column separated by one of said grids;
- and
- d. assigning coordinates to each said cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.