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Fault Re-activation Potential and Stress Path Modeling of Paleogene Reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 77th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2015, Jun 2015, Volume 2015, p.1 - 5
Abstract
The coupled interaction between reservoir simulation and geomechanics enables us to determine the stress path taken inside and outside of a reservoir during production. Fault re-activation due to poroelastic effects and stresses may or may not occur during depletion, depending on the stress path taken and the magnitude of the pore pressure decrease. Quantification of this stress path allows us to determine the potential for fault re-activation on reservoir boundary faults. Implicit fluid-flow and geomechanical model coupling is developed to analyze production-induced stress changes in Paleogene (Lower Tertiary) reservoirs of the Gulf of Mexico. Using a commercial reservoir simulator and finite-element modeling, a coupled scheme determines the stress path taken at several production wells in a Paleogene-type model. With the stress path results, we predict shear failure potential based on Coulomb frictional failure.