From outcrop to reservoir simulation model: Workflow and procedures

Advances in data capture and computer technology have made possible the collection of three-dimensional, high-resolution, digital geological data from outcrop analogs. This paper presents new methodologies for the acquisition and utilization of three-dimensional information generated by groundbased laser scanning (lidar) of outcrops. A complete workfl ow is documented-from outcrop selection through data collection, processing and building of virtual outcropsto geological interpretation and the building of geocellular models using an industry-standard, reservoir-modeling software. Data sets from the Roda Sandstone in the Spanish Pyrenees and the Grabens region of Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA, are used to illustrate the application of the workfl ow to sedimentary and structural problems at a reservoir scale. Subsurface reservoir models are limited by available geological data. Outcrop analogs from comparable systems, such as the Roda Sandstone and the Grabens, are commonly used to provide additional input to models of the subsurface. Outcrop geocellular models can be analyzed both statically and dynamically, wherein static examination involves visual inspection and the extraction of quan-titative data on body geometry, and dynamic investigation involves the simulation of fl uid fl ow through the analog model. The work presented in this study demonstrates the utility of lidar as a data collection technique for the building of more accurate outcrop-based geocellular models. The aim of this publication is to present the fi rst documentation of a complete workfl ow that extends from outcrop selection to model investigation through the presentation of two worked data sets.