Module - Fault Property Calculator

Fault Property Calculator: what

is it & how does it compare to the

ECLIPSE default?
Steps:
Fault Thickness
Shale Gouge Ratio
Fault Permeability
Transmissibility Multipliers
Exercise

FloGrid User Course

Fault Prop

Fault Property Calculator

Calculates fluid flow properties for user-selected faults
Requires
Corner point FloGrid model
A lithology indicator (ie RockType, NTG)
Property grid or tabular information

IJKFAULTMULTNUM property
Calculated properties can be exported as ECLIPSE keywords

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Fault Prop

Fault Styles

Options

Transmissibility Multiplier

Default

None applied

Sealing

No cross-fault flow
MULTFLT = 0 for whole fault

Constant Multiplier

Reduced cross-fault flow

MULTFLT = Constant for whole fault

Derived Multiplier

Reduced cross-fault flow

Geology-based multiplier calculated for
each cell pair juxtaposed across fault

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Fault Prop

Fault Transmissibility--ECLIPSE Default

t
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Loo
re
e
h
Perm

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to
s
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a
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C
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Perm

Fault Prop

Fault TransmissibilityFloGrid Derived

Smear of material the
fault has passed through

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Fault Prop

Derived Multiplier
How?
Uses structural information

from the grid to calculate fault

displacement
Uses lithologic information to
estimate fault zone thickness
& permeability
Transmissibility multipliers
are then calculated for each
cell that lies adjacent to each
fault

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t,k

Trans Multiplier

Fault Prop

Steps to Derive Transmissibility

Estimate
thickness of
fault face

Calculate quantity
of shale the fault
has come into
contact with

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Calculate
permeability of
fault face

Estimate
transmissibility
across the fault
face

Fault Prop

Fault Thickness Related to Brittleness Factor, b i

bi is related to the mechanical
strength of the rocks at the time of
deformation
Interbedded sands & shales
tend to produce thinner fault
zones (ie smaller bi values)

Thick, well-cemented
sandstones tend to produce
thicker fault zones (ie larger bi
values)

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Fault Prop

Shale Gouge Ratio

Shale gouge ratio is a measure of

May be an intermediate step for

calculating fault transmissibility

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nt
me
ace

SGR

sh,i

l
disp

shale or clay that have slid past a

particular reservoir horizon
Shale gouge ratio is often used as a
proxy for fault seal in exploration
and production scenarios
Calculated as the fraction of shale in
the grid cells that have slid past a
particular location

di

Vsh1

d1

Vsh2 d2
Vsh3 d3
Vsh4 d4

Fault Prop

Fault Permeability
Choices based upon literature & industry practice
Displacement weighted sum
Arithmetic-averaged
Harmonic-averaged

Rock-type juxtaposition
Equation relating fault permeability to displacement and

shale gouge ratio (Manzocchi et al. 1999)

Local geological expertise on the fault & basin history is
necessary for QC
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Fault Prop

Transmissibility Multipliers
Uses fault thickness and permeability with grid cell geometry

and properties
Choose grid cell permeability property
Calculates ratio of transmissibility with fault present and with
fault absent

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Fault Prop

Exercise Fault Property Calculator

Data: Cloudspin
Create NTG Property to use as Shale Content
Derive Fault Transmissibility Multipliers
View the Face-Based Fault Properties
Export ECLIPSE Keywords.

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Fault Prop

End of Module

Master Presenta
tion

FloGrid User Course

Fault Prop