Prediction of tectonic stresses and fracture networks with geomechanical reservoir models

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This project evaluates the potential of geomechanical Finite Element (FE) models to predict in situ stresses and fracture networks in faulted reservoirs, focusing on spatial variations in stress distribution due to faults and mechanical rock property contrasts. The first part develops a workflow for constructing geomechanical reservoir models and calibrating them to field data. This workflow was successfully applied to a faulted gas reservoir in the North German Basin, resulting in a field-scale geomechanical model covering over 400 km², incorporating mechanical stratigraphy and a network of 86 faults. These faults are treated as distinct planes of weakness, enabling fault-specific evaluations of shear and normal stresses. A static model illustrates the reservoir's current state, revealing the present-day in situ stress distribution after calibration. Further geodynamic modeling examines the major stages of the reservoir's tectonic history, providing insights into paleo stress distribution, which are compared with current fracture data and hydraulic fault behavior. The project's findings affirm the effectiveness of geomechanical FE models for reliable stress and fracture predictions, with the workflow being broadly applicable to any stress-sensitive reservoir.