3D and 4D reconstruction and modeling of geological structures
The geological reality around us is complex and three dimensional. Our ability to observe the three-dimensional complexity is limited mainly due to the physical limitations involved (we can observe the expression of the geological structures cutting the surface, and we can complement these observations from direct -wells-, or indirect -geophysical- studies, which help us in understanding).
Traditionally, the solution and understanding of the geological structures was performed using 2D techniques mainly due to software and hardware limitations. Today, thanks to advances in computer technology, has been shown how these two-dimensional approaches involve a number of simplifications and projections that may be an important source of errors. For this reason, and due to the real three-dimensional geological structures, the solution and understanding passes inevitably by a 3D approach that minimizes the possible errors in the projection.
Aware of the importance of 3D, the Research Institute Geomodels work, not only in the generation of 3D models, but also developing tools with an innovative geological approach to help us in the 3D reconstruction and its understanding by adding a further dimension: 4D (X, Y, Z and Time).
The importance of this process lies in working with tools directly in a three-dimensional space, which allows us to manage all the information (from different origins) in a common environment.
The combination of geometric models with three-dimensional process numerical models, allows us to add a new dimension to validate the generated geometric model as well as to introduce a predictive component to the geological system under study.
Moreover, the geometric surface model can be combined or supplemented with cell-based models using stochastic methods. These models give physical properties of the rock volume bounded by surfaces and are likely to form the basis for further dynamic 4D modeling (eg, simulations of flow processes)
