Coupled geomechanics and flow simulation for time-lapse seismic modeling

To accurately predict production in compactible reservoirs, we must use coupled models of fluid flow and mechanical deformation. Staggered‐in‐time loose coupling of flow and deformation via a high‐level numerical interface that repeatedly calls first flow and then mechanics allows us to leverage the decades of work put into individual flow and mechanics simulators while still capturing realistic coupled physics. These two processes are often naturally modeled using different time stepping schemes and different spatial grids—flow should only model the reservoir, whereas mechanics requires a grid that extends to the earth's surface for overburden loading and may extend further than the reservoir in the lateral directions. Although spatial and temporal variability between flow and mechanics can be difficult to accommodate with full coupling, it is easily handled via loose coupling. We calculate the total stress by adding pore pressures to the effective rock stress. In turn, changes in volume strain induce up...

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