Patent Document ID: 9068448
Application ID: 12630709
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A computer-implemented method to predict fluid flow characteristics within a fractured subsurface reservoir, the method comprising: providing geological data describing a subsurface reservoir having a network of fractures and a rock matrix; generating a stochastic fracture representation that represents the network of fractures; constructing a fine-scale geological model of the subsurface reservoir using the geological data; constructing a fine-scale grid associated with the fine-scale geological model and the stochastic fracture representation, the fine-scale grid being constructed by: constructing a uniform, structured lattice comprising a plurality of polyhedral cells representing the rock matrix, the polyhedral cells having cell-to-cell interfaces in between the polyhedral cells; refining a portion of the polyhedral cells representing the rock matrix of the uniform, structured lattice, wherein the polyhedral cells being refined are in vicinity of the network of fractures, and wherein refining occurs after constructing; selecting, for each of the fractures, a plurality of the cell-to-cell interfaces in between the polyhedral cells representing the rock matrix and that are adjacent to the fracture to form a continuous interfaces path approximating a geometry of the fracture, wherein selecting occurs after refining; and associating each of the continuous interfaces paths formed with predetermined fracture properties, wherein associating occurs after selecting; wherein the fine-scale grid that is constructed comprises each of the continuous interfaces paths associated with the predetermined fracture properties; and discretizing the fine-scale grid to compute fine-scale simulation parameters; and simulating the fine-scale simulation parameters to predict fluid flow characteristics within the subsurface reservoir.