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Keynote Speech - Hydrodynamic Constraints on Fault Seal Analysis - Linking Capillary and Fault Reactivation Processes
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, Fourth International Conference on Fault and Top Seals, Sep 2015, cp-462-00010
- ISBN: 978-94-6282-164-4
Abstract
The overarching goal of fault zone analysis is to accurately estimate fault mechanical and hydraulic properties that may influence the connectivity either across a fault or along a fault and between reservoirs under variable stress conditions. Fault seal capacity is the term used to describe the ability of the fault to impede the migration of one or more fluid types under certain stress constraints. Academics and industry technologists have developed a number of techniques for assessing various physical characteristics of faults and these have often been grounded either in outcrop analogues or observations of faults in the subsurface thought to be either trapping hydrocarbons or showing evidence of breach. These techniques tend to be process specific, targeting fault rock strength, reactivation potential, across fault capillary seal capacity, or up-fault leakage potential. After examining these various components individually a holistic fault seal analysis can be assembled.