Patent Document ID: 20060100837
Application ID: 11250804
Patent Flag: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for producing a substantially calibrated numerical model, which can be used for calculating a stress on any point in a formation, the method comprising, in any order consistent with the claim wording, the elements of: a) predetermining a number, n, of strata suitable for modeling the formation, wherein n=a whole integer≧1 and s n independently designates each stratum, respectively; b) predetermining for each s n a corresponding thickness, H n , and a corresponding present-day elastic rock property, ERP n,Present ; c) obtaining a numerical modeling program adapted to performing stress calculations and producing a formation-stress analysis using the stress calculations; d) obtaining stress calibration data for at least one location in the formation, L f stress calibration data, wherein for a first location in the formation, L f =L 1 ; e) predetermining at least one set, i, of values comprising a burial elastic rock property corresponding to each s n , ERP n,Burial-i , wherein each ERP n,Burial-i ≠ERP n,Present , wherein for i=1 a first set of values for burial elastic rock property, ERP n,Burial-1 , is predetermined; f) predetermining at least a 1 st gravitational load, GL 1 , associated with the formation; g) using at least each of the GL 1 , the H n and the ERP n,Burial-i values to perform stress calculations on multiple points in the formation so that at least one modeled formation-stress analysis, FSA i , can be produced, wherein for i=1 a first modeled formation-stress analysis, FSA 1 , is produced; h) producing from each FSA i a corresponding set, i, of modeled stress profiles for L f , SP i,Lf , having at least one principal stress, wherein for i=1 and L 1 a first set of modeled stress profiles, SP 1,L1 , is produced; i) comparing each SP i,Lf to the L f stress calibration data, wherein for i=1 and L 1 , SP 1,L1 is compared to the L 1 stress calibration data; j) determining a degree of deviation, D i , from comparing, respectively, each of SP i,Lf and the L f stress calibration data, wherein for i=1 a first degree of deviation, D 1 , is determined from comparing at least the SP 1,L1 and the L 1 stress calibration data; and k) obtaining the substantially calibrated numerical model, the model having degree of deviation D 1 .