Patent ID: 8494828
Filing Date: 2013-07-23
Classification: G01V

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for scaling a physical property of a subsurface region from values known at cells in a fine grid to multiple different cells, said property being associated with a diffusive process in the region, said method comprising: (a) selecting a volume of the subsurface region, said volume being at least a portion of the subsurface region; (b) subdividing the volume into fine scale cells to form a fine-scale grid for the volume, and obtaining a value of the physical property for each fine scale cell; (c) using a computer, solving a diffusion equation on the fine-scale grid over the selected volume, thus generating a global solution, wherein the global solution is generated by sub-dividing the volume into two or more sub-volumes, solving the diffusion equation separately in each sub-volume, and matching the solutions at sub-volume boundaries; (d) saving the global solution in computer memory or data storage; (e) defining a different cell within one of the two or more sub-volumes, said different cell being different in size or shape than the fine scale cells; (f) determining which fine scale cells are included, in whole or in part, in the different cell, using a pre-selected criterion for partial inclusion; (g) calculating a scaled value of the physical property for the different cell by retrieving and using the global solution for the fine scale cells included within the different cell; and (h) repeating steps (e)-(g) to calculate a scaled value of the physical property for at least one more different cell in the selected volume of the subsurface region, using the global solution recalled from computer memory or data storage for each different cell.