PETROLEUM RESERVOIR MODELLING – SCOPE FOR APPLICATIONS OF NEW TOOLS AND INSIGHTS IN GEOTHERMAL?

Abstract

This paper briefly reviews the currently available modelling tools in the petroleum industry in terms of solver strategies, well modelling, uncertainty modelling, geomechanical modelling and fracture flow. While the modelling problems that geothermal reservoir engineers face have some different physics involved since transport of both mass and energy is relevant in geothermal systems, it is still appropriate to try to understand where the state of the art lies in the petroleum industry lies. The works cited show that the petroleum reservoir engineering community has access to tools which can solve problems with large numbers of unknowns that allow highly resolved models of reservoir geology to be incorporated. Current well modelling methods allows for refinement of detail around and along wellbores. Sophisticated methods are also now being developed in the petroleum industry to tackle uncertainty modelling, and to handle coupled geomechanical modelling. Finally advances are being made in the suite of tools available to model fractured reservoirs.