TransGen - getting fault properties into simulators

Badley Technology Ltd

Fault Analysis Group

University College Dublin

TransGen A tool for generating geologically meaningful

fault transmissibility multipliers for simulation models, and for
examining the influence of faults on flow

Grid-block Net:Gross ratio

Fault transmissibility
multipliers

The basic TransGen calculations:

Step 1: Read in simulation model (Eclipse format corner point geometry)

Net:gross

The basic TransGen calculations:

Step 2: Identify faulted connections

Fault throw

The basic TransGen calculations:

Step 3: Determine no-fault-rock connection transmissibilities

Default Eclipse
across-fault
transmissibility

The basic TransGen calculations:

Step 4: Calculate fault surface properties

Fault Shale
Gouge Ratio

The basic TransGen calculations:

Step 5: Calculate fault-rock permeability

Fault-rock
Permeability

The basic TransGen calculations:

Step 6: Calculate fault-rock thickness

Fault-rock
thickness

The basic TransGen calculations:

Step 7: Determine fault-rock included connection transmissibilities

Faulted connection
transmissibility
including fault-rock

The basic TransGen calculations:

Step 8: Calculate and output fault transmissibility multipliers (Eclipse input files)

Faulted connection
transmissibility
multipliers

Summary of TransGen methodology:

Geologically derived transmissibility multipliers
SGR

Displacement

Shale content
Permeability

Thickness
Transmissibility multiplier

Permeability

After Manzocchi et al. 1999

Calculations on each across-fault connection

Permeability

Net / gross

Geocellular connection area

no-fault-rock Transmissibility

Calculations at each connection vertex - appropriate

permeability and thickness connection averages taken

Vs1

dZ

dZ 3

Vs2
Vs3

dZ 4
dZ 5

Vs4
Vs5

SGR =

dZVs
dZ

Net / gross

SGR

Throw

dZ 1

Low

High

Flexible fault property predictors:

Fault-rock permeability is a user-defined function of SGR, throw, depth

100

100

10

10

10

1
0.1
0.01
0.001

Fault permeability (mD)

100

Fault permeability (mD)

Fault permeability (mD)

Default relationship

1
0.1
0.01
0.001
0.0001

0.0001
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1
0.1
0.01
0.001
0.0001

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Cataclastic effects less

negative effect than clay content

Cataclastic effects more

negative effect than clay content
10

10

0.01
0.001
0.0001

Fault permeability (mD)

10
Fault permeability (mD)

100

0.1

1
0.1
0.01
0.001
0.0001

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Fault rock s hale fraction

0.6

0.8

Property database

100

0.4

Fault rock s hale fraction

100

0.2

Fault rock s hale fraction

Fault rock shale fraction

Fault permeability (mD)

Continuous shale smear

at 0.3 shale fraction

Permeability independent of SGR

1
0.1
0.01
0.001
0.0001

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Fault rock s hale fraction

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Fault rock s hale fraction

Flexible fault property predictors:

Fault-rock thickness is a user-defined function of throw

1000

Fault thickness

100
10
1
0.1
0.01
0.001
0.0001
0.0001 0.001

0.01

0.1

10

Fault displacement

100

1000

Fully 3D calculations
Top and bottom surfaces and COORD lines

Fully 3D calculations
Faults and bottom layer wire-frame

Fully 3D calculations
Grid-block properties on serial cross-sections
(functionality to deal with erosional surfaces)

10000

10000

1000

1000

100

100

Fault permeability (mD)

Fault permeability (mD)

Transmissibility multipliers for different fault property predictors

10
1
0.1
0.01
0.001
0.0001
0.00001
0.000001

10
1
0.1
0.01
0.001
0.0001
0.00001
0.000001

0.0000001

0.0000001
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

SGR

0.8

0.2

0.4

0.6

SGR

0.8

Application to the Scott Field - Block Ib

Net-to-Gross

Transmissibility Multiplier

yellow - high
brown - low
(cells and faults)

Blue ~ 1.0
White < 0.5
(faults only)

Courtesy of G. Marsden and A. Raoul, Amerada Hess

Application to the Scott Field - Block Ib

TransGen provides a good geologically plausible history match in hours rather
than an ad hoc match in months.

Cumulative Water Production

1999 HISTORY MATCH

ECLIPSE DEFAULT
INTER-UNIT SEALING
TRANSGEN METHOD
PRODUCTION DATA

Time

Courtesy of G. Marsden and A. Raoul, Amerada Hess

TransGen Graphical functionality

The cell properties window

TransGen Graphical functionality

The fault properties window

TransGen Graphical functionality

The Edit window

TransGen Graphical functionality

The fault and cell control windows

TransGen Graphical functionality

The colours windows

TransGen Graphical functionality

The dynamic controls window load Eclipse Restart files

View dynamic simulation data in grid-blocks and on fault surfaces A rapid means of identifying faults/parts of faults crucial to flow

Static properties
Permeability (grid-blocks)
Faulted transmissibility / area (fault)

Dynamic properties
Water saturation (grid-block)
Connection oil flow rate (faults)

Early time

Blocks: Water saturation

Faults: SGR

Blocks: Permeability
Faults: Water flow rate

Later time

Preferential flow paths are through fault B but around fault A

TransGen applied to streamline simulation

(3dsl from StreamSim)

Production from fault-bounded compartments

Producer

Injector

Water saturation

Faulted connection transmissibilities

Fault connections and streamlines

Streamlines

Applied to a faulted low net:gross channel complex

Time of Flight - streamlines

Water saturation

Time of Flight grid-blocks

Water saturation > 0.3

Two different models of fault connection properties