Seamless simulation of multiphase flow, poromechanics, and seismic
deformation in fractured subsurface formations
Abstract
A seamless numerical model of coupled multiphase flow and inertial
mechanics in fractured porous media is proposed. The model develops an
automatic time step size control method to efficiently and accurately
capture transitions between flow with small deformation, quasi-static
slip, and dynamic rupture with seismic wave propagation. The model
utilizes a mixed and embedded approach that represents fractures
explicitly. The mixed discretization combines an extended finite element
method (XFEM) with a projection embedded discrete fracture and matrix
(pEDFM) finite volume method. Mechanical inertia is approximated
implicitly using a stable Newmark scheme, and fracture contact
constraints for stick-slip conditions are enforced by a Lagrange
Multiplier approach that is stabilized by Polynomial Pressure Projection
(PPP). The temporal adaption method combines discretization error,
Coulomb friction, and slip rate considerations to capture pre-seismic
triggering, co-seismic spontaneous rupture, and arrest. The model is
applied to simulate multiple cycles of induced seismic rupture under
various multiphase fluid production and injection scenarios. This is
enabled by time step size control to automatically span transitions
across seven orders of magnitude in timescales.