Three dimensional geological model construction

• US 20060197759A1
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Technoguide AS (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Fremming, Nils P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,542,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/420
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/30 Analysis G01V1/50 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for modeling geological structures includes identifying fault planes in a geologic structure, and creating a set of substantially vertically oriented pillars along the fault plane. The pillar grids are then combined into a common three-dimensional grid pillar network, and a two-dimensional plane is defined that intersects the middle node of the pillars. Planes are identified that are oriented in the substantially horizontal direction and horizontal node points are created, and such a process is repeated for other node levels. A skeleton grid is then created by drawing a substantially vertically oriented pillar through each corresponding grid intersection, and then primary horizons as defined by interpretation of seismic data are inserted into the skeleton grid. And, a final scale resolution is created by dividing the spaces bounded between actual horizons and fault planes, and eventual actual part of the outer boundary into one or more horizontally oriented fine layers.

Claims

1. A method of modeling geological structures in an Earth formation, comprising:

modeling one or more faults in said Earth formation by using a group of pillars in three dimensions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of modeling one or more faults in said Earth formation comprises:

generating a wire frame structure including groups of said pillars describing said faults.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said pillars include a vertical pillar.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said pillars include a linear pillar.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said pillars include a listric pillar.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said pillars include a curved pillar.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the method of modeling geological structures further comprises:

incorporating said groups of said pillars describing said faults into a three dimensional skeleton grid representing a fault model adapted for said modeling of said geological structures.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said skeleton grid is limited by a boundary.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein boundary comprises a two dimensional curve between said faults.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the method of modeling geological structures further comprises:

performing a vertical layering step, the vertical layering step including adding geological horizons into said skeleton grid thereby forming a complete geological description.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the vertical layering step comprises:

performing the step of modeling primary horizons.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, during the step of modeling primary horizons, primary horizons are added to said geological description.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the vertical layering step further comprises:

performing the step of geological zonation.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, during the step of geological zonation, a volume between the primary horizons is divided into one or more zones separated by new secondary horizons.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a thickness of said one or more zones can be specified by providing an isochore, said isochore representing a surface further representing a vertical thickness of said zones.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein a thickness of said one or more zones can be specified by providing isopacks, said isopacks representing a surface further representing a stratigraphic thickness of the zones.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a thickness of said one or more zones can be specified by providing a constant value representing an absolute number or a percentage of the total thickness of said zones.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the vertical layering step further comprises:

performing the step of generating fine scale resolution.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the skeleton grid includes existing horizon nodes, and wherein the step of generating fine scale resolution comprises adding new horizon nodes between said existing horizon nodes in said skeleton grid.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of generating fine scale resolution further comprises:

adding layers from a base or a top of said zone using constant thickness.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of generating fine scale resolution further comprises:

adding layers by proportional thickness using a specified number of layers.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of generating fine scale resolution further comprises:

adding layers from a base or a top of said zone using a dipping surface.

23. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps of modeling geological structures in an Earth formation, said method steps comprising:

modeling one or more faults in said Earth formation by using a group of pillars in three dimensions.

24. The program storage device of claim 23, wherein the step of modeling one or more faults in said Earth formation comprises:

generating a wire frame structure including groups of said pillars describing said faults.

25. The program storage device of claim 24, wherein said pillars include a vertical pillar.

26. The program storage device of claim 24, wherein said pillars include a linear pillar.

27. The program storage device of claim 24, wherein said pillars include a listric pillar.

28. The program storage device of claim 24, wherein said pillars include a curved pillar.

29. The program storage device of claim 24, wherein the method of modeling geological structures further comprises:

incorporating said groups of said pillars describing said faults into a three dimensional skeleton grid representing a fault model adapted for said modeling of said geological structures.

30. The program storage device of claim 29, wherein said skeleton grid is limited by a boundary.

31. The program storage device of claim 30, wherein boundary comprises a two dimensional curve between said faults.

32. The program storage device of claim 29, wherein the method of modeling geological structures further comprises:

performing a vertical layering step, the vertical layering step including adding geological horizons into said skeleton grid thereby forming a complete geological description.

33. The program storage device of claim 32, wherein the vertical layering step comprises:

performing the step of modeling primary horizons.

34. The program storage device of claim 33, wherein, during the step of modeling primary horizons, primary horizons are added to said geological description.

35. The program storage device of claim 33, wherein the vertical layering step further comprises:

performing the step of geological zonation.

36. The program storage device of claim 35, wherein, during the step of geological zonation, a volume between the primary horizons is divided into one or more zones separated by new secondary horizons.

37. The program storage device of claim 36, wherein a thickness of said one or more zones can be specified by providing an isochore, said isochore representing a surface further representing a vertical thickness of said zones.

38. The program storage device of claim 36, wherein a thickness of said one or more zones can be specified by providing isopacks, said isopacks representing a surface further representing a stratigraphic thickness of the zones.

39. The program storage device of claim 36, wherein a thickness of said one or more zones can be specified by providing a constant value representing an absolute number or a percentage of the total thickness of said zones.

40. The program storage device of claim 35, wherein the vertical layering step further comprises:

performing the step of generating fine scale resolution.

41. The program storage device of claim 40, wherein the skeleton grid includes existing horizon nodes, and wherein the step of generating fine scale resolution comprises adding new horizon nodes between said existing horizon nodes in said skeleton grid.

42. The program storage device of claim 41, wherein the step of generating fine scale resolution further comprises:

adding layers from a base or a top of said zone using constant thickness.

43. The program storage device of claim 41, wherein the step of generating fine scale resolution further comprises:

adding layers by proportional thickness using a specified number of layers.

44. The program storage device of claim 41, wherein the step of generating fine scale resolution further comprises:

adding layers from a base or a top of said zone using a dipping surface.

45. A system adapted for modeling geological structures in an Earth formation, comprising:

first apparatus adapted for modeling one or more faults in said Earth formation by using a group of pillars in three dimensions.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the first apparatus comprises:

apparatus adapted for generating a wire frame structure including groups of said pillars describing said faults.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said pillars include a vertical pillar.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein said pillars include a linear pillar.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein said pillars include a listric pillar.

50. The system of claim 46, wherein said pillars include a curved pillar.

51. The system of claim 46, wherein the system adapted for modeling geological structures further comprises:

apparatus adapted for incorporating said groups of said pillars describing said faults into a three dimensional skeleton grid representing a fault model adapted for said modeling of said geological structures.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein said skeleton grid is limited by a boundary.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein boundary comprises a two dimensional curve between said faults.

54. The system of claim 51, wherein the system adapted for modeling geological structures further comprises:

apparatus adapted for performing a vertical layering, said vertical layering including adding geological horizons into said skeleton grid thereby forming a complete geological description.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the apparatus adapted for performing said vertical layering comprises:

apparatus adapted for modeling primary horizons.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein primary horizons are added to said geological description when said apparatus is modeling said primary horizons.

57. The system of claim 55, wherein the apparatus adapted for performing said vertical layering further comprises:

apparatus adapted for performing geological zonation.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein a volume between the primary horizons is divided into one or more zones separated by new secondary horizons when said apparatus is performing said geological zonation.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein a thickness of said one or more zones can be specified by providing an isochore, said isochore representing a surface further representing a vertical thickness of said zones.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein a thickness of said one or more zones can be specified by providing isopacks, said isopacks representing a surface further representing a stratigraphic thickness of the zones.

61. The system of claim 58, wherein a thickness of said one or more zones can be specified by providing a constant value representing an absolute number or a percentage of the total thickness of said zones.

62. The system of claim 57, wherein the apparatus adapted for performing said vertical layering further comprises:

apparatus adapted for generating fine scale resolution.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the skeleton grid includes existing horizon nodes, and wherein the apparatus adapted for generating fine scale resolution comprises apparatus adapted for adding new horizon nodes between said existing horizon nodes in said skeleton grid.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein the apparatus adapted for generating fine scale resolution further comprises:

apparatus adapted for adding layers from a base or a top of said zone using constant thickness.

65. The system of claim 63, wherein the apparatus adapted for generating fine scale resolution further comprises:

apparatus adapted for adding layers by proportional thickness using a specified number of layers.

66. The system of claim 63, wherein the apparatus adapted for generating fine scale resolution further comprises:

apparatus adapted for adding layers from a base or a top of said zone using a dipping surface.