Proximity functions for modeling fluids and heat flow in reservoirs with stochastic fracture distributions
Conventional approaches to geothermal reservoir modeling have employed a porous medium approximation, but recently methods have been developed which can take into account the different thermodynamic conditions in rock matrix and fractures. The multiple interacting continua method (MINC) treats the thermal and hydraulic interaction between rock matrix and fractures in terms of a set of geometrical parameters. However, this approach was restricted to idealized fracture distributions with regularly shaped matrix blocks. Fractures in geothermal reservoirs usually occur in nearly parallel sets with a certain scatter in orientation, and a stochastic distribution of spacings and apertures. The MINC-method was extended to realistic fracture systems with stochastic distributions. The interaction between matrix and fractures is parameterized in terms of a proximity function, which represents the volume of matrix rock as a function of distance from the fractures. Monte Carlo techniques were employed to compute proximity functions for a number of two-dimensional systems with regular or stochastic fracture distributions. It is shown how the proximity functions can be used to generate computational grids for modeling fluid and heat flow in fractured reservoirs.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 6778114
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-14985; CONF-821214-6; ON: DE83005864
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 8. geothermal reservoir engineering workshop, Stanford, CA, USA, 14 Dec 1982; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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