Discrete Fracture Network Upscaling Workflows and Tools in SVS Fracture Solutions

For dynamic simulations on a fractured reservoir it is often necessary to translate a discrete fracture network (DFN) model into a grid-based set of effective properties. During this upscaling step, the critical characteristics of the original fracture network must be preserved to ensure that the previously performed fracture characterisation and modelling work is not compromised. The ultimate goal is to represent geologically sound fracture scenarios in simulation models so that the impact on fluid flow, well rates and development decisions can be tested. Different methodologies have been proposed and were incorporated into commercial fracture modelling packages to perform this translation. However, each method comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages and none reliably preserves the connectivity of a given fracture network on the scale of a full field model. We will present tools developed in the Shell in-house fracture modelling software SVS Fracture Solutions to upscale a DFN and to quality check the resulting effective property grid. We will outline a workflow that ensures the preservation of the most important characteristic of a DFN, i.e., its connectivity, and which reliably works on full field models.