Improving Reservoir Models through Combining Digital Outcrop Data and Forward Modelling

Traditional modelling approaches use object modelling, sequential indicator simulations and, more recently, multipoint statistics. These approaches, though all useful, all have their associated problems. Digital outcrop analogue work has often shown that these approaches are limited in how well they can reproduce the fluvial geometries seen in the field. In order to produce geologically valid reservoir models which represent realistic heterogeneities, allow for representing uncertainty, and are simple enough to ensure rapid turnaround of reservoir models on timescales necessary in a typical industrial setting new approaches need to be developed.
Represented here is the application of a centre-line migration approach for meandering fluvial systems which has been adapted to produce more realistic geobodies, or objects, than traditional object modelling approaches use. The model also produces an 8 corner point grid in an eclipse type grid format which is readily imported into any standard reservoir modelling or simulation package.