Image-Based Direct Numerical Simulation of Petrophysical Properties Under Simulated Stress and Strain Conditions

摘要

A testing system for performing image based direct numerical simulation to characterize petrophysical properties of a rock sample under the simulated deformation condition, for example as representative of subsurface conditions. A digital image volume corresponding to x-ray tomographic images of a rock sample is segmented into its significant elastic phases, such as pore space, clay fraction, grain contacts and mineral type, and overlaid with an unstructured finite element mesh. A simulated deformation is applied to the segmented image volume, and the resulting deformed unstructured mesh is numerically analyzed, for example by way of direct numerical simulation, to determine the desired petrophysical properties.

主权项

1. A method of analyzing a rock sample, comprising the steps of:
segmenting a digital image volume corresponding to one or more tomographic images of a rock sample, to associate voxels in the digital image volume with pore space or solid material; overlaying voxels corresponding to solid material in the segmented digital image volume with an unstructured finite element mesh; numerically simulating the application of a deformation to the unstructured mesh to produce a deformed volumetric mesh of the digital image volume under the simulated deformation; and then numerically analyzing a representation of the digital image volume corresponding to the deformed volumetric mesh to characterize a material property of the rock sample under conditions corresponding to the deformation.