TY - GEN
T1 - Intersecting Faults Simulation for Three-Dimensional Reservoir-Geomechanical Models
AU - Prevost, Jean H.
AU - Rubin, Allan M.
AU - Sukumar, N.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© ASCE.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Faults are geological entities with thicknesses (of the order cm) several orders of magnitude smaller than the grid blocks (of the order 10 m) typically used to discretize reservoir and/or over-under-burden geological formations. Introducing faults in a complex reservoir and/or geomechanical mesh therefore poses significant meshing difficulties. In this paper, we introduce faults in the mesh without meshing them explicitly, by using the extended finite element method (X-FEM) in which the nodes whose basis function support intersects the fault are enriched within the framework of partition of unity. For the geomechanics, the fault is treated as an internal displacement discontinuity that allows slipping to occur using a Mohr-Coulomb type criterion. For the reservoir, the fault is either an internal fluid flow conduit that allows fluid flow in the fault as well as to enter/leave the fault or is a barrier to flow (sealing fault). Equal-order displacement and pressure approximations are used. Two- and three-dimensional benchmark computations are presented to verify the accuracy of the approach, and simulations are presented that reveal the influence of the rate of loading on the activation of faults.
AB - Faults are geological entities with thicknesses (of the order cm) several orders of magnitude smaller than the grid blocks (of the order 10 m) typically used to discretize reservoir and/or over-under-burden geological formations. Introducing faults in a complex reservoir and/or geomechanical mesh therefore poses significant meshing difficulties. In this paper, we introduce faults in the mesh without meshing them explicitly, by using the extended finite element method (X-FEM) in which the nodes whose basis function support intersects the fault are enriched within the framework of partition of unity. For the geomechanics, the fault is treated as an internal displacement discontinuity that allows slipping to occur using a Mohr-Coulomb type criterion. For the reservoir, the fault is either an internal fluid flow conduit that allows fluid flow in the fault as well as to enter/leave the fault or is a barrier to flow (sealing fault). Equal-order displacement and pressure approximations are used. Two- and three-dimensional benchmark computations are presented to verify the accuracy of the approach, and simulations are presented that reveal the influence of the rate of loading on the activation of faults.
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U2 - 10.1061/9780784480779.247
DO - 10.1061/9780784480779.247
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85026327123
T3 - Poromechanics 2017 - Proceedings of the 6th Biot Conference on Poromechanics
SP - 1992
EP - 1999
BT - Poromechanics 2017 - Proceedings of the 6th Biot Conference on Poromechanics
A2 - Dangla, Patrick
A2 - Pereira, Jean-Michel
A2 - Ghabezloo, Siavash
A2 - Vandamme, Matthieu
PB - American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
T2 - 6th Biot Conference on Poromechanics, Poromechanics 2017
Y2 - 9 July 2017 through 13 July 2017
ER -