000 02401nab a2200217 4500
005 20260520000314.0
008 260224s2011 xxu
245 0 0 _aFrom outcrop to flow simulation: Constructing discrete fracture models from a LIDAR survey
260 _a
_b
_cnov. 2011
270 _a16/04/2012 ; 16/04/2012
300 _a23 p. ; 1883 - 1905
520 _aResumen del autor: Terrestrial light detection and ranging (LIDAR) surveys offer potential enrichment of outcrop-based research efforts to characterize fracture networks and assess their impact on subsurface fluid flow. Here, we explore two methods to extract the three-dimensional (3-D) positions of natural fractures from a LIDAR survey collected at a roadcut through the Cretaceous Austin Chalk: (1) a manual method using the University of California, Davis, Keck Center for Active Visualization in the Earth Sciences and (2) a semiautomated method based on mean normal and Gaussian curvature surface classification. Each extraction method captures the characteristic frequencies and orientations of the primary fracture sets that we identified in the field, yet they extract secondary fracture sets with varying ability. After making assumptions regarding fracture lengths and apertures, the extracted fractures served as a basis to construct a discrete fracture network (DFN) that agrees with field observations and a priori knowledge of fracture network systems. Using this DFN, we performed flow simulations for two hypothetical scenarios: with and without secondary fracture sets. The results of these two scenarios indicate that for this particular fracture network, secondary fracture sets marginally impact (~10% change) the breakthrough time of water injected into an oil-filled reservoir. Our work provides a prototype workflow that links outcrop fracture observations to 3-D DFN model flow simulations using LIDAR data, an approach that offers some improvement over traditional field-based DFN constructions. In addition, the techniques we used to extract fractures may prove applicable to other outcrop studies with different research goals
581 _a11
773 0 _tAAPG Bulletin
_g95
942 _cARTICULO
100 1 _aWilson, Christopher E.
_951415
100 1 _aAydin, Atilla
_913994
100 1 _aKarimi-Fard, M.
_920067
100 1 _aDurlofsky, Louis J.
_921214
999 _c187061
_d187061