New hybrid Cartesian cut cell/enriched multipoint flux approximation approach for modelling and quantification of structural uncertainties in petroleum reservoirs

Efficient and profitable oil production is subject to make reliable predictions about reservoir performance. However, restricted knowledge about reservoir rock and fluid properties and its geometrical structure calls for history matching in which the reservoir model is calibrated to emulate the field observed history. Such an inverse problem yields multiple history‐matched models, which might result in different predictions of reservoir performance. Uncertainty quantification narrows down the model uncertainties and boosts the model reliability for the forecasts of future reservoir behaviour. Conventional approaches of uncertainty quantification ignore large‐scale uncertainties related to reservoir structure, while structural uncertainties can influence the reservoir forecasts more significantly compared with petrophysical uncertainty. Quantification of structural uncertainty has been usually considered impracticable because of the need for global regridding at each step of history matching process. To resolve this obstacle, we develop an efficient methodology based on Cartesian cut cell method that decouples the model from its representation onto the grid and allows uncertain structures to be varied as a part of history matching process. Reduced numerical accuracy due to cell degeneracies in the vicinity of geological structures is adequately compensated with an enhanced scheme of a class of locally conservative flux continuous methods (extended enriched multipoint flux approximation method or extended EMPFA). The robustness and consistency of the proposed hybrid Cartesian cut cell/extended EMPFA approach are demonstrated in terms of true representation of geological structures influence on flow behaviour. Significant improvements in the quality of reservoir recovery forecasts and reservoir volume estimation are presented for synthetic model of uncertain structures. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying Uncertainty in Flow Functions Derived from SCAL Data

Unsteady-state (USS) core flood experiments provide data for deriving two-phase relative permeability and capillary pressure functions. The experimental data is uncertain due to measurement errors, and the accuracy of the derived flow functions is limited by both data and modeling errors. History matching provides a reasonable means of deriving in-phase flow functions from uncertain unsteady-state experimental data. This approach is preferred to other analytical procedures, which involve data smoothing and differentiation. Data smoothing leads to loss of information while data differentiation is a mathematically unstable procedure, which could be error magnifying. The problem is non-linear, inverse and ill posed. Hence the history-matching procedure gives a non-unique solution. This paper presents a procedure for quantifying the uncertainty in two-phase flow functions, using unsteady-state experimental data. We validate the methodology using synthetic data. We investigate the impact of uncertain flow functions on a homogeneous reservoir model using the Buckley–Leverett theory. Using a synthetic, heterogeneous reservoir model, we estimate the uncertainty in oil recovery efficiency due to uncertainty in the flow functions.     

A Multiscale Approach for Geologically and Flow Consistent Modeling

Subsurface geological models are usually constructed on high-resolution grids in a way that various complexities and heterogeneities are depicted properly. Such models, however, cannot be used directly in the current flow simulators, as they are tied with high computational cost. Thus, using upscaling, by which one can produce flow consistent models that can alleviate the computational burden of flow simulators, is inevitable. Although the upscaling methods are able to reproduce the flow responses, they might not retain the initial geological assumptions. The reservoir models are initially constructed on uniform and high-resolution grids and then, if necessary, are upscaled to be used for flow simulations. A subsurface modeling approach that not only preserves the geological heterogeneity but also provides models that can be used, straight or with a small level of upscaling, in the flow simulators is desirable. In this paper, a new multiresolution method based on (1) the importance of conditioning well data and (2) being geologically and flow consistent is presented. This method discretizes the initial model into several regions based on the available data. Then, the initial assumed geological model is converted into, for example, various high- and low-resolution models. Next, the high-resolution model is used for regions with high-quality data (e.g., well locations), while the low-resolution model is used for the remaining areas. Finally, the patterns of these areas are interlocked, which result in a multiresolution geologically and flow consistent subsurface model. The accuracy of this method is demonstrated using two-phase flow simulation on four complex subsurface systems. The results indicate that the same flow responses, in a much less time, are reproduced using the multiscale models. The speed-up factor gained using the proposed method is also several orders of magnitude.     

一种新的实时相关极值匹配算法设计与仿真

对传统相关极值匹配算法局限性进行了分析,并利用二维高斯样条函数张量积方法对局部重力异常离散格网基准图进行逼近以获取该局部基准图的连续解析表达式,在此基础上对相关极值匹配算法进行重新建模并采用拟牛顿BFGS非线性寻优方法对该模型进行解算。考虑到相关极值算法存在实时性差的缺点,采用固定初始序列长度的方式对初始序列采样结构进行改善,推导出了刚性变换中心从序列质心到原点的转换公式,最终完成能够实现单点迭代的基于局部重力异常基准图实时相关极值匹配算法设计,该匹配算法突破了传统离散匹配算法受限于基准图分辨率的局限。最后在2′×2′卫星测高反演重力异常数据基础上进行了两组仿真实验进行对比分析,实验结果表明,在重力测量噪声和初始定位误差较大的情况下,通过该匹配算法获得的匹配定位仍能以较高的精度实时跟踪真实航迹。     

航空重力匹配定位方法

为了在重力特征显著区域内实现航空重力匹配定位,定义了匹配区重力场模糊度指标作为匹配结果可信度的度量指标,提出了一种基于Monte Carlo方法的重力匹配算法。由于航空重力仪的测量值中包含各种误差因素,使用常用的相关匹配算法估计出的匹配位置往往不是飞行器的真实位置,而是随机分布于真实位置周围。根据这个特点,将地形匹配中的均方差算法(MSD)和Monte Carlo方法结合,形成一种新的重力匹配方法。该方法根据惯性导航系统指示位置从重力图上提取参考重力数据,将重力测量数据进行若干次随机干扰后和参考重力数据使用MSD算法进行匹配,得到若干个匹配位置,取其均值作为最终匹配位置。仿真结果表明,算法在重力场特征显著区域内匹配效果优于常用的相关分析算法。     

Application of Effective Flux Boundary Conditions to Two-Phase Upscaling in Porous Media

A new algorithm is introduced for upscaling relative permeabilities, and tested in simulations of two-dimensional reservoir displacement processes. The algorithm is similar to existing algorithms for computing upscaled relative permeabilities from subgrid simulations, but uses new boundary conditions for the pressure field. The new 'effective flux boundary conditions' were introduced in a previous paper and provide a more accurate estimate of flux through high permeability channels. The algorithm was tested in conjunction with uniform grid coarsening and upscaled absolute permeabilities for a broad range of coarsenings. The permeability fields were highly heteroge-neous and layered, and were obtained from synthetic data and from conditioned realizations of actual oil reservoirs. The algorithm was tested for a wide variety of grid aspect ratios, and for both viscous-and gravity-dominated flow. Typical fine grids were of the order of 100×100 cells; the coarsest scaled-up grids were on the order of 5×5 cells. The quality of scale up was evaluated by comparing oil cut curves for the fine and coarse grid simulations. We consistently obtained excellent agreement, even at the coarsest levels of scale up.     

一种适用于星敏感器的大角速度下星跟踪算法

传统的星敏感器预报方法是利用当前四元数和陀螺输出角速度来预测下帧姿态四元数,再通过预测的四元数计算视场内恒星的理想星像坐标,最后在这些理想坐标为中心的范围内来获取实际的星像坐标。但是,由于陀螺漂移的存在,随着时间的增加,预测的理想坐标与实际坐标偏差越来越大,获取实际星像坐标扫描的区域越来越大,星敏感器的数据更新率也随之降低。为此,本文提出了一种适用于星敏感器的大角速度下星跟踪算法。首先根据连续两帧的姿态偏差计算星敏感器的角速度,利用角速度来计算星敏感器当前时刻与最近上一帧的姿态偏差。然后以该姿态偏差来预报当前时刻的星敏感器姿态输出,这样不仅提高了数据更新率,而且满足飞行器在大角速度机动时单纯采用星敏感器进行姿态测控的要求。最后,采用2010年外场试验实际观星数据对该算法进行了仿真验证。     

Upscaled Unstructured Computational Grids for Efficient Simulation of Flow in Fractured Porous Media

Discrete fracture modeling (DFM) is currently the most promising approach for modeling of naturally fractured reservoirs and simulation of multiphase fluid flow therein. In contrast with the classical double-porosity/double permeability models, in the DFM approach all the interactions and fluid flow in and between the fractures and within the matrix are modeled in a unified manner, using the same computational grid. There is no need for computing the shape factors, which are crucial to the accuracy of the double-porosity models. We have exploited this concept in order to develop a new method for the generation of unstructured computational grids. In the new approach the geological model (GM) of the reservoir is first generated, using square or cubic grid blocks. The GM is then upscaled using a method based on the multiresolution wavelet transformations that we recently developed. The upscaled grid contains a distribution of the square or cubic blocks of various sizes. A map of the blocks’ centers is then used with an optimized Delauney triangulation method and the advancing-front technique, in order to generate the final unstructured triangulated grid suitable for use in any general reservoir simulator with any number of fluid phases. The new method also includes an algorithm for generating fractures that, contrary to the previous methods, does not require modifying their paths due to the complexities that may arise in spatial distribution of the grid blocks. It also includes an effective partitioning of the simulation domain that results in large savings in the computation times. The speed-up in the computations with the new upscaled unstructured grid is about three orders of magnitude over that for the initial GM. Simulation of waterflooding indicates that the agreement between the results obtained with the GM and the upscaled unstructured grid is excellent. The method is equally applicable to the simulations of multiphase flow in unfractured, but highly heterogeneous, reservoirs.     

Stress-Sensitive Permeability: Application to Fault Integrity During Gas Production

The objective is to propose a simple theoretical approach and the associated numerical algorithm to capture the permeability evolution within a fractured region in response to a stress perturbation. The stress range of interest is typical of a reversible deformation such that the fractures have varying apertures but constant lengths and densities. It is the permeability evolution from a negligible value characteristic of flows on geological times to values more relevant for gas production which is important for the structural integrity of the fractured region. A simple 1D application related to the sealing capacity of a fault bounding a producing gas reservoir is proposed to illustrate the theory. The stress change on the two sides of the faults is obtained with a 2D finite-element simulation based on the theory of poro-elasticity and considering the fault as a material discontinuity. The 1D flow simulation is done in a second step, and the flux is assumed to occur through the fault thickness from the non-depleted (minus side) to the depleted (plus side) regions. It is shown how the depletion results in the fractures opening in the fault damaged zone close to the minus side and the fracture closure next to the plus side. This evolution could be non-monotonic in time because of the development and the thinning of a boundary layer in the fluid pressure at the plus side. The simulations end once a Coulomb criterion is reached, typically at the minus side of the fault. The presence of a low-permeability core in the fault center does not change these conclusions although a positive effective normal stress is detected in the damaged zone on the minus side of the core prior to the Coulomb criterion activation.     

河道砂油藏的自适应非均匀网格粗化算法

以河道砂的观测深度为确定性数据，由贝叶斯理论通过随机楚模的方法楚立横截面为抛物线形状的河道砂油藏边界面，并将渗透率自适应网格技术应用于河道砂油藏的网格粗化算法中。在渗透率或孔隙度交化异常区域自动采用精细网格，用直接解法求解渗透率或孔隙度交化异常区域的压强分布，而在其他区域采用不均匀网格粗化方法计算，印在流体流速大的区域采用精细网格。用本文方法计算了河道砂油藏的压强分布，结果表明河道砂油藏的三维不均匀自适应网格粗化算法的解在渗透率或孔隙度异常区的压强分布规律更逼近采用精细网格的解，在其他区域压强分布规律非常逼近粗化算法的解，但计算的速度比采用精细网格提高了100多倍。     

Numerical synthesis of trivariate velocity realizations of turbulence

An approach is presented for synthesizing trivariate turbulence velocity field spatial realizations which are useful in non-linear mechanics applications. Some of the spatial frequency characteristics of the random velocity field are described by the Von Karman spectrum. The simulation algorithm is based on an efficient autoregressive-moving average (ARMA) scheme involving coefficient square matrices of order three. The determination of the efficient low order ARMA algorithm is preceded by the determination of a suitable high order autoregressive (AR) simulation algorithm. The numerical results are presented in a dimensionless form. Thus, they are applicable for any scale of turbulence.     

基于隐马尔可夫模型的地磁匹配算法

为了在地磁特征微弱区域内实现地磁辅助导航以及提高惯性导航系统在地磁特征明显区域内的定位精度,提出了基于隐马尔可夫模型的地磁匹配算法.首先以惯性导航系统定位误差为隐状态,以实时测量的地磁强度为观测量,建立了地磁匹配的隐马尔可夫模型;其次,针对该模型,使用Viterbi算法来确定最优状态序列,给出了惯性导航系统的当前定位误差.仿真结果表明,该算法可以实现地磁辅助导航,导航误差优于EKF算法,组合导航系统的定位误差在50 m左右.     

基于局部连续场的重力匹配辅助导航

重力匹配辅助惯性导航是一种在惯性导航系统定位信息基础上利用地球重力场特征获取载体位置信息的组合导航技术。一般匹配辅助导航方法都是建立在格网化离散场的基础上,考虑到用局部连续场逼近离散散场的可行性,提出了利用连续场实现相关极值匹配算法,建立了基于局部连续场的相关极值匹配算法模型,采用随机初值迭代方式改进拟牛顿方法以实现在置信范围内全局寻优。最后在三组不同仿真条件下对该算法进行了仿真实验。从实验结果可以看出,在观测误差、初始定位误差较大的情况下,通过该算法获得的匹配航迹仍能以较高的精度跟踪真实航迹,从而验证了算法的有效性。     

Particle tracking velocimetry with an ant colony optimization algorithm

A new concept algorithm based on the ant colony optimization is developed for the use in 2-D and 3-D particle tracking velocimetry (PTV). In the particle matching process of PTV, the ant colony optimization is usually aimed at minimization of the sum of the distances between the first-frame and second-frame particles. But this type of minimization often goes unsuccessfully in the regions where the particles are located very close to each other. In order to avoid this flaw, a new type of minimization is attempted using a physical property corresponding to the flow consistency or the quasi-rigidity of particle distribution patterns. Specifically, the ant colony optimization is now aimed at minimization of the sum of the relaxation of neighbor particles. In the present study, the new algorithm is applied to sets of 2-D and 3-D synthetic particle images as well as the experimental images with successful results.     

裂缝性低渗透油藏流-固耦合理论与数值模拟

根据裂缝性低渗油藏的储层特征,建立适合裂缝性砂岩油藏渗流的等效连续介质模型。将渗流力学与弹塑性力学相结合,建立裂缝性低渗透油藏的流-固耦合渗流数学模型,并给出其数值解.通过数值模拟对一实际井网开发过程中孔隙度、渗透率的变化以及开发指标进行计算,并和刚性模型以及双重介质模型的计算结果进行了分析比较.     

基于区域分解算法的地下水耦合模型及其应用

根据岩体中不同区域裂隙发育规模的差异分为连续区域和离散区域,在不同区域中使用不同的地下水运动数学模型,应用区域分解算法来解决这类问题。其中连续区域采用了等效连续介质模型,离散区域采用了随机裂隙网络模型,通过区域公共边界上水位和流量连续的条件将两模型耦合求解。将基于区域分解算法的耦合模型应用于锦屏水电站坝址区三维渗流场的模拟中,通过钻孔观测水位和计算水位的对比发现,该方法是有效的,能够应用于实际工程。     

A Hierarchical Sampling for Capturing Permeability Trend in Rock Physics

Among all properties of reservoir rocks, permeability is an important parameter which is typically measured from core samples in the laboratory. Due to limitations of core drilling all over a reservoir, simulation of rock porous media is demanded to explore more scenarios not seen in the available data. One of the most accurate methods is cross correlation based simulation (CCSIM) which recently has broadly applied in geoscience and porous media. The purpose of this study is producing realizations with the same permeability trend to a real sample. Berea sandstone sample is selected for this aim. Permeability results, extracted from smaller sub-samples of the original sample, showed that classic Kozeny–Carman permeability trend is not suitable for this sample. One reason can be due to lack of including geometrical and fractal properties of pore-space distribution in this equation. Thus, a general trend based on fractal dimensions of pore-space and tortuosity of the Berea sample is applied in this paper. Results show that direct 3D stochastic modeling of porous media preserves porous structure and fractal behavior of rock. On the other hand, using only 2D images for constructing the 3D pore structures does not reproduce the measured experimental permeability. For this aim, a hierarchical sampling is implemented in two and three steps using both 2D and 3D stochastic modeling. Results showed that two-step sampling is not suitable enough, while the utilized three-step sampling occurs to be show excellent performance by which different models of porous media with the same permeability trend as the Berea sandstone sample can be generated.     

飞机撞击混凝土结构的动力学分析

基于已有的飞机撞击混凝土结构的实验数据,利用有限元分析软件ANSYS/LS-DYNA,选用可模拟冲击作用下混凝土性能的4种不同材料模型,在同一接触算法、同一失效准则下,进行飞机撞击混凝土结构的数值模拟与动力学分析,探讨了4种混凝土材料模型在模拟飞机撞击下混凝土结构破坏效应的能力。结果表明:4种混凝土材料模型均能模拟飞机撞击混凝土结构的穿入、散裂、碎甲等局部破坏效应,但在考虑正、背面破坏面积及剩余速度等因素时,MAT072R3和MAT084材料模型的计算结果与实验结果较接近,MAT111材料模型次之,MAT159材料模型有较大的差异。本文的研究结果可为后续评估混凝土结构安全壳抵抗飞机撞击能力时提供基础参数。     

An Improved Method for Reconstructing the Digital Core Model of Heterogeneous Porous Media

The heterogeneous pore space of porous media strongly affects the storage and migration of oil and gas in the reservoir. In this paper, the cross-correlation-based simulation (CCSIM) is combined with the three-step sample method to reconstruct stochastically 3D models of the heterogeneous porous media. Moreover, the two-point and multiple-point connectivity probability functions are used as vertical constraint conditions to select the boundary points of pore and matrix, respectively. The heterogeneities of pore spaces of four rock samples are investigated, and then our methods are tested on the four samples. Quantitative comparison is made by computing various statistical and petrophysical properties for the original samples, as well as the reconstructed model. It was found that the results from CCSIM-TSS are obviously better than that from CCSIM. Finally, the analysis of the distance (ANODI) was used to measure of the variability between the realizations of the four rock samples. The results demonstrated that the results from CCSIM-TSSmp are better than that from CCSIM-TSStp as the complexity of connectivity and heterogeneities of pore spaces increase.     

Numerical Analysis of Imbibition Front Evolution in Fractured Sandstone under Capillary-Dominated Conditions

Fractures serve as primary conduits having a great impact on the migration of injected fluid into fractured permeable media. Appropriate transport properties such as relative permeability and capillary pressure are essential for successful simulation and prediction of multi-phase flow in such systems. However, the lack of a thorough understanding of the dynamics governing immiscible displacement in fractured media, limits our ability to properly represent their macroscopic transport properties. Previous experimental observations of imbibition front evolution in fractured rocks are examined in the present study using an automated history-matching approach to obtain representative relative permeability and capillary pressure curves. Predicted imbibition front evolution under different flow conditions resulted in an excellent agreement with experimental observations. Sensitivity analyses, in combination with direct experimental observation, allowed exploring the competing effects of relative permeability and capillary pressure on the development of saturation distribution and imbibing front evolution in fractured porous media. Results show that residual saturations are most sensitive to matrix relative permeability to oil, while the ratio of oil and water relative permeability, rock heterogeneity, boundary condition, and matrix–fracture capillary pressure contrast, affect displacement shape, speed, and geometry of the imbibing front.