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Petrel Structural Modeling
Best practices to tackle complex geometries
and engineering requirements
11th January 2007
Petrel Structural Modeling
Objectives
Review fault modeling best practices
Examine Petrel complex modeling possibilities
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Discuss the issues and constraints around modeling radial
geological structures
Discuss optimization and enhanced complexity of the clients
model
Present a methodology to build more flow complexity without
affecting the cell geometry
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Grid building in Petrel: The concept
1. Fault model building
Key pillars extending to top and base of reservoir
Input : fault and horizon interpretations
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2. Pillar gridding
Fitting of a regular structured grid on the faults
Interpolation of the grid to the top and base
3. Vertical layering
Horizons and layers building
Input : horizon interpretations and well data
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Fault modeling best practices
Creating the fault model
Prepare your fault input data:
Cut the fault sticks at reservoir level
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Organize faults in folder by areas
Re-name faults with short names(+ name of affected horizons)
Adjust workflow to quality of input
Use automated conversion whenever possible
Use manual conversion when low quality input
Use simple pillar geometry initially (linear)
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Fault modeling best practices Keep a finger on the Esc key to
swap quickly between manipulation
and select/pick mode.
Editing the fault model Use the Target zoom to centre the
3D View on the part of the model on
which you are working.
Use the smoothing tools
Smooth XYZ OR S key
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Smooth Z values only
Aim and click !!!
Space pillars evenly
Adjust fault height on top and base surfaces
if they are smooth enough! (The top and base lines of the
pillar grid must be as smooth as possible)
Otherwise adjust fault
height on constant level
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Fault modeling best practices
Fault complexity and fault-horizon lines
Use enough pillars to describe the fault geometry
Dont over-simplify Fault/Horizon Lines
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Fault modeling best practices
Reservoir Engineering considerations
If the lateral extent of the fault is uncertain, model the faults
in several inter-connected segments.
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This will allow to assign variable transmissibility along the
fault and to easily test several connectivity hypothesis at the
simulation stage
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Fault modeling best practices
Connecting the faults
Connect faults by areas
(Right-click on a fault \ Show connected faults)
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Use auto-connection only on small simple models!
Review modeled faults against:
Fault sticks inputs
AND
Horizon inputs (Gridded surfaces, seismic interpretations)
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Complex fault patterns
Vertical truncations Definitions
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Truncating Truncated
pillar pillar (Drawn in grey color)
Truncation point
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Vertical truncations
How to create a vertical truncation
1. Detect the truncating and
truncated faults in the fault
model
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2. Make truncating fault active
3. Select two key pillars you
want to truncate
4. Press truncate pillar icon
5. Truncate the rest of the key
pillars
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Vertical truncations
How to end truncations?
1. Self-truncation
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Connect the truncated and
truncating faults then truncate
the common (Grey) pillar.
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Vertical truncations
How to end truncations?
2. Against the boundary
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Connect boundary segments
to corresponding truncating
truncated pillars.
Add a trend if the faults
extend beyond the boundary.
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Vertical truncations
How to end truncations?
3. Against another fault
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Connect the truncated and
truncating fault to the
crossing fault.
Truncate the common pillars,
truncate the next pillar on the
crossing fault and overlay the
bottom shape-points.
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Vertical truncations
How to end truncations?
4. In the middle of the
truncated fault
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Make sure that the bottom
shape-points of the last pair
of truncating truncated
pillars overlay.
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Vertical truncations
Authorized truncations
1. Single base or top truncated
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2. Multi base truncated
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Vertical truncations
Authorized truncations
3. Multi top truncated
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4. Multi top truncated and
multi base truncated
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Vertical truncations
Authorized truncations
5. Top and base truncated
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6. Both truncating and truncated
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X-Faults
Complex antithetic fault geometry
Complex antithetic X faults can
be modeled in Petrel
Two faults truncated at the top
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and bottom by a third one
Necessity to align the truncated
pillars
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Vertical truncations
Vertically stacked truncations
that cant be modeled in Petrel
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RESULT
Base Skeleton
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Vertical truncations
Non griddable jumping truncation
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Truncating 2
Truncating 3
Truncating 1
Truncation jumping between 3 non-connected faults
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Vertical truncations
Non griddable jumping truncation
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Distorted grid : crossing pillars
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How to deal with
Minor / antithetic / vertically dying-out faults
Case 1 Minor fault dying-out vertically
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Minor fault extended to bottom reservoir
No fault throw defined on lower horizons
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How to deal with
Minor / antithetic / vertically dying-out faults
Case 2 Minor antithetic fault
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Base Top
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How to deal with
Minor / antithetic / vertically dying-out faults
Case 2 Minor antithetic fault Vertical Truncation
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Truncating
fault active
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How to deal with
Minor / antithetic / vertically dying-out faults
Case 2 Minor antithetic fault Vertical Truncation
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Normal cell
pinch-out
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How to deal with
Minor / antithetic / vertically dying-out faults
Case 2bis Minor antithetic fault Approximation
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How to deal with
Minor / antithetic / vertically dying-out faults
Case 2bis Minor antithetic fault Approximation
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Modeling reverse faults
The basics
No particular rule to model reverse faults in Petrel
At the Make Horizons stage:
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Input surfaces cannot have double Z values
Different input used for each fault compartment
Fault compartments must be isolated segments
Take into account at the fault modeling and Pillar
Gridding stage (Use trends to isolate segments)
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Pillar Gridding
QC 3D, Top and Base grid geometry
Grid defects
Twisted cells
Envelopes Distorted cells
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Negative volumes
Peaks in the skeleton grid
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Pillar Gridding
How to deal with opposite dipping faults
Potential problem with twisted cells / negative volume at the base
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Top Grid Base Grid
Reverse bottom line Fold in the grid
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Pillar Gridding
How to deal with opposite dipping faults
Extend faults below reservoir level + 5 points pillars at fault ends
Align bottom shape points on fault trends
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Initial Adapted
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Some complex model geometries
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Petrel structural modeling
and radial geological events
How to combine radial fault pattern
and structured grid in Petrel?
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Gridding and Engineering constraints
Zig-Zag faults
How complex can the model be?
Vertical truncations
X-faults
A work-around to build more complexity in the simulation grid
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Gridding constraints
Directions assigned to faults
Force cell edges along fault
Distort the grid in the direction
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of the fault
Prevent triangular cells on fault
Trends
Force cell edges between faults
or away from faults
Used to solve local issues or
constrain cell number
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Real field model
Radial fault network
29 faults simplified to 25 without vertical truncations
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50*50 Grid
100 layers : average cell thickness 2.2 metres
Average theoretical cell volume Ca. 5000 m3
Four segments
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Some simulation gridding rules
The grid orientation
influences the flow and the
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simulation time
Variations in cell volume
affect the throughput and
the simulation time
Cell geometry affects the
accuracy of transmissibility
computations
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Model Client Version
50x50 Grid
Fairly distorted grid
Ca. 6000 triangular cells
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Multiple directions assigned
High proportion of small
volume cells
Proportion of cells with a volume lower than 2500
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Model Client Version + Zig-Zag
50x50 Grid
Ca. 2000 triangular cells
Zig-zag on arbitrary faults
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High proportion of small
volume cells
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Model No Trends
50x50 Grid
No directions assigned
Ca. 20,000 triangular cells
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Lower proportion of low
volume cells
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Model No Trends + Zig-Zag
50x50 Grid
No directions assigned
Ca. 600 triangular cells
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Lower proportion of low
volume cells
Excellent cell geometry
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Model No Trends Coarse
100x100 Grid
Zig-Zag faults
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Good cell geometry
471 triangular cells
GRV difference with
50x50 non ZZ grid
between 0.7 and 2%
depending on segment
and due mainly to the
model edges.
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Model FrontSim simulation
Flow path analysis
Flow path, flight time (particles
displacement time) and
simulation time similar in original
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Client model (Red) and in simple
50x50 model.
Potentially faster and more
stable ECLIPSE simulation as
better cell geometry in the 50x50
Zig-Zag model
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Model with added complexity
Fault model modifications
Replacement of jumping
truncation by two independent
truncations
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Replacement of simple
approximation by Truncated
Truncating combination
Add of X-fault and extra vertical
truncation
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Model with added complexity
Grid geometry
Directions compulsory on
truncated faults
3400 triangular cells
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Zig-Zag on arbitrary faults
Lower proportion of low volume cells
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Model with added complexity
FrontSim Simulation
Flow path, flight time
(particles displacement
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time) and simulation time
similar to original simplified
Client model
Directions on truncated
faults result in more
distorted cells locally.
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Model with added complexity
ECLIPSE Simulation
One year ECLIPSE
simulation ran on segment
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SW (Ca. 300,000 cells)
Run time Ca. 30 minutes
Distorted cells on
truncations have been
ACTNUMed out.
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Model with added complexity
A workflow using RE faults
Objective :
Replace complex faults by
equivalent RE faults
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Method :
Digitizing of RE faults
Assignment of variable
transmissibility vertically
Creation of permeability
barriers
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Model with added complexity
A workflow using RE faults Polygon digitizing
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Fault-equivalent polygons need to be digitized in 2D on skeleton grids
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Model with added complexity
A workflow using RE faults RE faults creation
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Model with added complexity
A workflow using RE faults Perm barriers creation
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Use the K layer
player to determine
which layer(s) will be
used as barrier in the
fault equivalent.
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Model with added complexity
A workflow using RE faults Perm barriers creation
Use of zone mapping to create temporary zonation for
variable vertical transmissibility
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Model with added complexity
A workflow using RE faults Vertical transmissibility assignment
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Trans = 0
Trans > 0
1 3 4 Background permeability
Permeability in the
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Model with added complexity
A workflow using RE faults Creation of a filter property
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1
Interactive painting of the
cells where the permeability
barrier will be created
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Model with added complexity
A workflow using RE faults Permeability barriers
In the property
calculator, a
conditional expression
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on the filter property is
used to create the
permeability barrier
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Model with added complexity
A workflow using RE faults The result
Added flow path
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complexity
Real faults
approximation
NO alteration of
the grid geometry
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Conclusions
Petrel allows modeling of complex fault patterns with multiple fault
directions, both in extensional and compressional settings.
A high level of complexity can be successfully modeled
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(and simulated) in the case of a radial fault pattern.
Zig-zag faults allow to preserve a good cell geometry despite the
limitations of structured grids in radial settings.
The RE fault workflow can be used to build more complexity into the
grid without increasing its geometrical distortion.
Thank you for your attention. Any question?
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