METHOD FOR MODELING DEFORMATION IN SUBSURFACE STRATA

摘要

A method for modeling deformation in subsurface strata is provided, including defining physical boundaries for a geomechanical system and acquiring one or more mechanical properties of the subsurface strata within the physical boundaries, and acquiring one or more thermal properties of the subsurface strata within the physical boundaries; and also includes creating a finite element analysis program representing the geomechanical system that defines nodes representing points in space, each node populated with mechanical and thermal properties, and solves for in situ stress at selected nodes within the mesh. The utility program is run a first time to acquire in situ stress values within the geomechanical system at selected nodes at an initial time, and running it a second time to acquire in situ stress values within the geomechanical system at selected nodes at a subsequent time in response to changes in at least one in situ property.