Combining finite element and finite volume methods for efficient multiphase flow simulations in highly heterogeneous and structurally complex geologic media

Geiger, Sebastian; Roberts, Stephen; Matthäi, Stephan; Zoppou, Christopher; Burri, A.

doi:10.1111/j.1468-8123.2004.00093.x

Cited by 171 publications

(132 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…For more details about solving the fracture and matrix flow, the reader is referred to the work by Geiger et al (2004) and .…”

Section: Fracture and Matrix Flow Modellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fluid flow through the fractured rock with multiple intersecting fractures and permeable matrix is solved using the combined finite element-finite volume method (Geiger et al 2004). Single-phase steady state flow of incompressible fluid with constant viscosity through porous media, in absence of sources and sinks, is governed by the continuity equation and Darcy's law, which are reduced to a Laplace equation as:…”

Section: Fracture and Matrix Flow Modellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Polyaxial stress-dependent permeability of a three-dimensional fractured rock layer

et al. 2017

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A study about the influence of polyaxial (true-triaxial) stresses on the permeability of a three-dimensional (3D) fractured rock layer is presented. The 3D fracture system is constructed by extruding a two-dimensional (2D) outcrop pattern of a limestone bed that exhibits a ladder structure consisting of a Bthrough-going^joint set abutted by later-stage short fractures. Geomechanical behaviour of the 3D fractured rock in response to in-situ stresses is modelled by the finite-discrete element method, which can capture the deformation of matrix blocks, variation of stress fields, reactivation of pre-existing rough fractures and propagation of new cracks. A series of numerical simulations is designed to load the fractured rock using various polyaxial in-situ stresses and the stress-dependent flow properties are further calculated. The fractured layer tends to exhibit stronger flow localisation and higher equivalent permeability as the far-field stress ratio is increased and the stress field is rotated such that fractures are preferentially oriented for shearing. The shear dilation of pre-existing fractures has dominant effects on flow localisation in the system, while the propagation of new fractures has minor impacts. The role of the overburden stress suggests that the conventional 2D analysis that neglects the effect of the out-of-plane stress (perpendicular to the bedding interface) may provide indicative approximations but not fully capture the polyaxial stress-dependent fracture network behaviour. The results of this study have important implications for understanding the heterogeneous flow of geological fluids (e.g. groundwater, petroleum) in subsurface and upscaling permeability for largescale assessments.

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“…For more details about solving the fracture and matrix flow, the reader is referred to the work by Geiger et al (2004) and .…”

Section: Fracture and Matrix Flow Modellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fracture and Matrix Flow Modellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polyaxial stress-dependent permeability of a three-dimensional fractured rock layer

et al. 2017

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“…It contains a mass conservative transport scheme and an accurate equation of state for saline water (Driesner and Heinrich, 2007). Governing equations for fluid flow and solute transport are solved using the finite element -finite volume method (Geiger et al, 2004).…”

Section: Reactive Transport Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reactive transport modelling of hydrothermal dolomitisation using the CSMP++GEM coupled code: Effects of temperature and geological heterogeneity

et al. 2017

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University of Bristol -Explore Bristol Research General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. Full terms of use are available: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/pure/about/ebr-terms Reactive transport modelling of hydrothermal dolomitisation using the CSMP++GEM coupled code:Effects of temperature and geological heterogeneity AbstractReactive transport simulations using our CSMP++GEM coupled code were applied to study the major controls on replacement dolomitisation and the development of dolomite geobodies in a hydrothermal setting. A series of 2D simulations show how elevated temperature and reactive surface area increase the rate of dolomitisation, and result in a dolomite replacement front that is both sharper and inclined at a higher angle from vertical. This inclination, an effect of gravity segregation, is apparent in thick homogeneous units, but in layered systems the lithological contrast determines the shape of the dolomite front. The increase in permeability resulting from porosity generation upon replacement of calcite by dolomite has a major effect on accelerating the overall progress of dolomitisation. In contrast, the changes in fluid density due to chemical reactions and the pressure dependence of thermodynamic data have a minor influence under simulated conditions. Primary dolomite forms slowly after complete replacement of host calcite, leading to porosity decrease, and is only locally important around the source of the hydrothermal fluid.For a simple layered system, our model results are in excellent agreement * Corresponding author. Present address: ETH Zurich, Institute of Geochemistry and Petrology. E-mail address: alina.yapparova@gmail.comPreprint submitted to Chemical Geology July 6, 2017with those obtained using TOUGHREACT code. They do, however, show the advantage of unstructured triangular over structured rectangular meshes for resolving complex curved/inclined front shapes. Such meshes also offer benefits in simulating fault-controlled hydrothermal dolomitisation. Our simulations predict dolomite geobodies comparable in scale and morphology to natural examples documented at outcrops, and underline the importance of understanding the permeability structure within and around the fault zone.

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“…Their permeability fields can vary significantly in space, by orders of magnitude over sharp boundaries, especially in the fractured regions. The Node Control Volume Finite Element (NCVFE) method [2][3][4][5][6][7][8] has been traditionally used to model those types of reservoir, Fig. 1 (right).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lowest-order Raviart-Thomas [26] vectorial basis functions (RT0) are used to discretise the pressure equation, similar to the MHFE method [24,25]. Pressure derivatives are calculated using first-order Courant basis functions [27,28], similar to the NCVFE method [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. The fluxes are calculated on interface control volumes according to the properties of the shared elements and the pressure derivative.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interface control volume finite element method for modelling multi-phase fluid flow in highly heterogeneous and fractured reservoirs

Abushaikha

Blunt

Gosselin

et al. 2015

Journal of Computational Physics

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We present a new control volume finite element method that improves the modelling of multi-phase fluid flow in highly heterogeneous and fractured reservoirs, called the Interface Control Volume Finite Element (ICVFE) method. The method drastically decreases the smearing effects in other CVFE methods, while being mass conservative and numerically consistent. The pressure is computed at the interfaces of elements, and the control volumes are constructed around them, instead of at the elements' vertices. This assures that a control volume straddles, at most, two elements, which decreases the fluid smearing between neighbouring elements when large variations in their material properties are present. Lowest order Raviart-Thomas vectorial basis functions are used for the pressure calculation and first-order Courant basis functions are used to compute fluxes. The method is a combination of Mixed Hybrid Finite Element (MHFE) and CVFE methods. Its accuracy and convergence are tested using three dimensional tetrahedron elements to represent heterogeneous reservoirs. Our new approach is shown to be more accurate than current CVFE methods.

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Combining finite element and finite volume methods for efficient multiphase flow simulations in highly heterogeneous and structurally complex geologic media

Cited by 171 publications

References 38 publications

Polyaxial stress-dependent permeability of a three-dimensional fractured rock layer

Polyaxial stress-dependent permeability of a three-dimensional fractured rock layer

Reactive transport modelling of hydrothermal dolomitisation using the CSMP++GEM coupled code: Effects of temperature and geological heterogeneity

Interface control volume finite element method for modelling multi-phase fluid flow in highly heterogeneous and fractured reservoirs

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