Robust numerical implementation of a 3D rate‐dependent model for reservoir geomechanical simulations

Isotton, Giovanni; Teatini, Pietro; Ferronato, Massimiliano; Janna, Carlo; Spiezia, Nicolò; Mantica, S.; Volonté, Giorgio

doi:10.1002/nag.3000

Cited by 16 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(84 reference statements)

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“…The stable and accurate simulation of the activation and motion of a discontinuity is still an active area of research. In this work, we use the Lagrangemultiplier based numerical formulation developed by Franceschini et al (2016) and implemented in the GEPS3D geomechanical simulator (Isotton et al, 2019;Janna et al, 2012). A rupture is simulated as a pair of inner surfaces included in a three-dimensional (3-D) geological formation and Lagrange multipliers are used to prescribe the contact constraints.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Parametric Numerical Analysis of Factors Controlling Ground Ruptures Caused by Groundwater Pumping

Frigo

Ferronato

et al. 2019

Water Resources Research

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A modeling analysis is used to investigate the relative susceptibility of various hydrogeologic configurations to aseismic rupture generation due to deformation of aquifer systems accompanying groundwater pumping. An advanced numerical model (GEPS3D) is used to simulate rupture generation and propagation for three typical processes: (i) reactivation of a preexisting fault, (ii) differential compaction due to variations in thickness of aquifer/aquitard layers constituting the aquifer system, and (iii) tensile fracturing above a bedrock ridge that forms the base of the aquifer system. A sensitivity analysis is developed to address the relative importance of various factors, including aquifer depletion, aquifer thickness, the possible uneven distribution and depth below land surface of the aquifer/aquitard layers susceptible to aquifer‐system compaction, and the height of bedrock ridges beneath the aquifer system which contributes to thinning of the aquifer system. The rupture evolution is classified in two occurrences. In one, the rupture develops at either the top of the aquifer or at land surface and does not propagate. In the other, the developed rupture propagates from the aquifer top toward the land surface and/or from the land surface downward. The aquifer depth is the most important factor controlling rupture evolution. Specifically, the probability of a significant rupture propagation is higher when the aquifer top is near land surface. The numerical results are processed by a statistical regression analysis to provide a general methodology for a preliminary evaluation of possible ruptures development in exploited aquifer systems susceptible to compaction and accompanying land subsidence. A comparison with a few representative case studies in Arizona, USA, China, and Mexico supports the study outcomes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Parametric Numerical Analysis of Factors Controlling Ground Ruptures Caused by Groundwater Pumping

Frigo

Ferronato

et al. 2019

Water Resources Research

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“…Moreover, because of the mechanical hysteresis of a porous medium in unloading/reloading conditions (Ferronato et al, ; Teatini et al, ) α , and, consequently, S s and E , takes on the elastic values α II , S s ,II and E II when the effective stress is smaller than the preconsolidation stress or the larger stress ever experienced by the medium; otherwise, the larger plastic values α I , S s ,I and E I are used. Although relatively simple compared to the state‐of‐the‐science in geomechanics (e.g., Isotton et al, ), the constitutive model for aquifer mechanics used in the present analysis is similar to those implemented in widely‐used hydrogeological simulators, for example, MODFLOW.…”

Section: Methodsological Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

The 3‐D Facies and Geomechanical Modeling of Land Subsidence in the Chaobai Plain, Beijing

Zhu

Franceschini

Gong

et al. 2020

Water Resources Research

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The hydrogeologic systems of alluvial fan are characterized by a heterogeneous distribution of various lithological units/facies. The structure (integral scale and volumetric proportion) of the hydrofacies distribution and the values of the hydrogeomechanical parameters of each facies can play a major role on the system response to groundwater withdrawal in term of land subsidence. We propose a novel approach where stochastically simulated hydrofacies distributions are coupled with 3‐D finite element groundwater flow and geomechanical simulations to characterize land subsidence and horizontal movements due to groundwater withdrawal under a statistical framework. The integrated approach is applied on the Chaobai alluvial plain, China, an area of about 1,100 km2 where the main wellfields supplying water to Beijing are located. Groundwater pumping from the 1960s to now caused a land subsidence larger than 1 m and the present subsidence rate peaks to 70 mm/year. A Monte Carlo simulation with 100 hydrofacies generations is used. The model outcomes highlight how the heterogeneous structure of the hydrofacies fan reflects into the computed displacement fields. The standard deviation associated to the mean displacement field amounts up to 1/10 of the displacement components. The larger coefficient of variation (CV up to 0.5) is associated to the zone characterized by longer integral scale and with localized groundwater withdrawals. The computed variability of the subsidence rate, in the range of 1 to 3 mm/year, reflecting the intrinsic heterogeneous nature of an alluvial fan, corresponds to the short‐distance variability of land subsidence measured by persistent scatterer interferometry.

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“…An overall number of 5215 IEs is used to discretize the five faults. Stress and strain fields associated to UGS have been simulated using the M3E_GEPS3D (Geomechanical visco-Elasto-Plastic Simulator -3D) simulator, an in-house developed code (Spiezia et al, 2017;Isotton et al, 2019). The code simulates the possible activation of pre-existing faults with a quasi-static approach.…”

Section: Scenario # Parameter/mechanismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The rupture activation is governed by the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion (Labuz and Zang, 2012), i.e. a fault reactivation occurs whenever the shear stress exceeds the limiting value τ L :…”

Section: Scenario # Parameter/mechanismmentioning

confidence: 99%

About geomechanical safety for UGS activities in faulted reservoirs

et al. 2020

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A critical issue concerning geomechanical safety for UGS (underground gas storage) in compartmentalized reservoirs is fault reactivation. Indeed, the displacement (land subsidence, land upheaval) and the stress fields caused by the seasonal injection and production of CH 4 into and from deep reservoirs is peculiar. The need of improving our understanding of compartmentalized reservoir behavior and to define safe bounds for the pressure fluctuation in order to prevent undesired land movements and induced seismicity is becoming even more important. This also in view of the expected energy transition when large amount of green energy will potentially be stored and recovered through UGS of compressed air or hydrogen. In this framework, an indepth modelling investigation has been carried out for the typical UGS geological setting and operations in The Netherlands. The specific goals of the study are the following: (i) explaining the possible mechanisms responsible for seismic events unexpectedly recorded during UGS phases; (ii) understanding which are the critical factors (e.g. the geological configuration, the geomechanical properties, and the reservoir operations) that increase the probability of fault reactivation during the various UGS stages; and (iii) advancing possible guidelines for safe UGS operations. This contribution summarizes the main outcomes obtained by the modelling simulations: the combinations of factors causing fault reactivation during primary production (PP) are also more prone to generate fault failure during cushion gas injection (CG) and UGS. In fact, fault activation during PP leads to a stress redistribution and a new (deformed) "equilibrated" configuration that is newly loaded, in the opposite direction, when the pressure variation changes the sign because of CG and/or UGS. Finally, the various combinations have been ranked to highlight the conditions where the fault system is most likely reactivated during CG and UGS operations: the initial stress regime of the system, the geomechanical properties of the fault, and dislocation of the reservoir compartments are the major influencing drivers to fault instability.

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Robust numerical implementation of a 3D rate‐dependent model for reservoir geomechanical simulations

Cited by 16 publications

References 45 publications

A Parametric Numerical Analysis of Factors Controlling Ground Ruptures Caused by Groundwater Pumping

A Parametric Numerical Analysis of Factors Controlling Ground Ruptures Caused by Groundwater Pumping

The 3‐D Facies and Geomechanical Modeling of Land Subsidence in the Chaobai Plain, Beijing

About geomechanical safety for UGS activities in faulted reservoirs

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