Abstract

The analyses and modelling of fracture and fault systems finds since decades a wide range of applications in geothermal energy generation, mining, ground water management, CCSU, O&G Exploration and Production, Hydrogen storage, well stimulation, and civil and environmental engineering. This contribution illustrates completely new developments applying AI to 3d modelling deploying cutting-edge technologies.

As a thumb rule, features such as fractures, joints, and small faults are simulated in 3dspace building a “Discrete Fracture Network” (DFN), following the descriptions and definitions in the Numerical Conceptual Geological Model (NCGM), which is derived from the study of outcrops (UAV), remote sensing satellite imagery, 3d seismic attributes, cores (slanted and CT-Scan), (image) logs, or other information such as production data, including statistic information on truncations and dependencies. The resulting 3d models are then used to extract information on connectivity, clustering, the volume/porosity and permeability of solid, fluid and gas phases, and block shape factors and transmissivity in the system. Up to 2 years ago, the possibility to simulate this type of geological and geomechanical relationships was quite limited and confined to a few statistical models, although the involved tools apply a wide range of available technologies and considerable amounts of computing power.

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