Volumetric Modeling of Faults

Although faults traditionally have been modelled as membrane-like surfaces, the flow pattern through a fault is affected in a volumetric region. The physical properties of the fault rock will be different from what they were prior to the faulting process. Defining specific Fault Facies only present in the close vicinity of a fault gives a possibility to model the flow through faults more detailed than by conventional modelling. The Fault Facies will depend on both the pre-faulted facies, and the strain affecting the rocks when faults are created.<br><br>A workflow has been created which demonstrates that the concept can be utilized in realistic reservoir modelling, starting from a conventional reservoir model where the fault is defined as a surface. A fault zone is defined in a small volume around the fault surface. It has a finer grid than the original model. First, all Fault Facies are modelled, followed by petrophysical modelling accounting for the fact that the greatest deformation occurs near the centre of the fault zone. The suggested concept produces direct modelling of vertical flow in the faults, making the unphysical non-neighbouring connections obsolete.<br>