Abstract
Geological modelling is widely used to predict resource potential in subsurface reservoirs. However, modelling is often slow, requires use of mathematical methods that are unfamiliar to many geoscientists, and is implemented in expert software. We demonstrate here an alternative approach using sketch-based interface and modelling, which allows rapid creation of complex three-dimensional (3D) models from 2D sketches. Sketches, either on vertical cross-sections or in map-view, are converted to 3D surfaces that outline geological interpretations. We propose a suite of geological operators that handle interactions between the surfaces to form a geologically realistic 3D model. These operators deliver the flexibility to sketch a geological model in any order and provide an intuitive framework for geoscientists to rapidly create 3D models. Two case studies are presented, demonstrating scenarios in which different approaches to model sketching are used depending on the geological setting and available data. These case studies show the strengths of sketching with geological operators. Sketched 3D models can be queried visually or quantitatively to provide insights into heterogeneity distribution, facies connectivity or dynamic model behaviour; this information cannot be obtained by sketching in 2D or on paper. Supplementary material : Rapid Reservoir Modelling prototype (executable and source code) is available at: https://bitbucket.org/rapidreservoirmodelling/rrm . Supplementary screen recordings for the different case studies showing sketch-based modelling in action are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5084141 and supplementary figure S1-S4 are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5303043
Highlights
We demonstrate application of our new Sketch-based interface and modelling (SBIM) approach using two typical example reservoir modelling scenarios, in which sketches are made at different scales, of different geological heterogeneity, and are constrained by different input data
The selected operator(s) are applied immediately after each new 3D surface is created, which means that surfaces do not need to be created in stratigraphic or hierarchical order. This is important for the prototyping applications we propose here, in which a complete geological interpretation may not be available at the onset of sketching; sketching and creation of 3D models may be a part of the interpretation process
We use SBIM to create the 3D models, honouring data from five measured outcrop sections and boreholes (Fig. 1) (Kamola and Van Wagoner 1995; Campion et al 2010). These data and associated outcrops are widely used in education and training to develop geological interpretation skills, but their educational value can be significantly enhanced by translating the correlation panel between measured outcrop sections and boreholes into 3D models that demonstrate the impact of different interpretations on predicted aquifer or reservoir character and behaviour
Summary
The aim of this paper is not to describe the numerical implementation in detail; a summary is provided, and other publications elsewhere describe the numerical algorithms and underpinning SBIM design concepts (Jackson et al 2015a). We emphasize that our aim is not to replace conventional workflows, but rather to complement them
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