Building a 3D geomechanical model of a gas field for geohazard prediction
conference paper
Land subsidence, triggered earthquakes and wellbore instabilities are some examples of geohazards caused by or related to the production of subsurface natural resources and storage of energy residues in the deep subsurface. The main objective of geomechanical modelling is to effectively predict surface and subsurface deformation and damage due to exploitation/ storage of subsurface natural resources/energy residues. This objective is commonly achieved through a two-dimensional stress analysis, which in many cases tends to oversimplify the geological structure and the importance of pre-existing tectonic stresses.
We demonstrate that it is technically possible to integrate three-dimensional geological modelling with the finite element modelling in such a way that the finite element model preserves the spatial complexity of the three-dimensional geological model. The workflow we developed facilitates the construction of a consistent structural/property model of the subsurface and its conversion into an unstructured tetrahedral finite element mesh. A field case is used to illustrate the working procedure.
We demonstrate that it is technically possible to integrate three-dimensional geological modelling with the finite element modelling in such a way that the finite element model preserves the spatial complexity of the three-dimensional geological model. The workflow we developed facilitates the construction of a consistent structural/property model of the subsurface and its conversion into an unstructured tetrahedral finite element mesh. A field case is used to illustrate the working procedure.
TNO Identifier
504621
Source title
64th EAGE Conference and Exhibition. Paper G-36. Florence.
Pages
4 p.
Files
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