Fracture modeling in Petrel consists of two main processes; Create discrete

Fracture Network and Scale up fracture properties. The heart of the latter
process is upscaling the fracture network.

Schlumberger is cooperating with Golder Associates http://www.golder.com and

implementing upscaling algorithms developed and used by them. Fracman
http://www.fracman.com is a technology segment of Golder that provides
consulting services and software development.
The Fracman Software suite is an integrated set of tools for discrete fracture
network analysis. Petrel is now utilizing algorithms from this industry leading
software suite to provide a complete fracture modeling workflow, spanning from
seismic to simulation.

However, other standard processes in Petrel are used prior to the fracture
modeling, such as Geometrical Modeling and Petrophysical Modeling. Processes
related to Simulation are used after the fracture model and properties are made.
Fracture modeling workflows are varied and often customized for the conditions
and data available in a particular field. The workflow in Petrel is designed to be
flexible, giving users the power to use any data that may be available.
Could
also be a
3D
property
A Fracture model could have many different Fracture Sets
Scale up fracture network properties
The Scale up fracture network converts the discrete fracture network
(with its defined properties) into the properties that are essential for
running a dual porosity, or dual permeability simulation, in ECLIPSE or
any other simulator. These are fracture porosity, fracture permeability
(3 or 6 tensors) and sigma factor (the connectivity between the
fractures and the matrix).
Petrel includes two methods for upscaling the permeability of the fracture
network: The Oda Method and the Flow-Based Upscaling

The Oda method is a statistical calculation that estimates permeability, based

on the total area of fractures in each cell and their various parameters. It is fast
but takes no account of the connectivity of fractures and can therefore
underestimate fracture permeability when the intensity is low.
Flow-based upscaling is a rigorous method that creates a finite element grid for
each grid cell and simulates flow under a pressure gradient, to calculate the
permeability in each of the directions. The calculations are much slower, but take
into account the full geometry of the system. This method uses Golder algorithms.

- Boundary conditions: This is the boundary conditions applied to the sides of each
grid cell. A pressure gradient is applied to the cell that is currently upscaled in the
direction in which you would like to measure the permeability. Note that it is not
always possible to apply periodic boundary conditions (depends on the topology of
the fracture network inside the cell), and that this option will produce many cells with
undefined permeability tensors. There are four options:

No Flow - Fluid is not permitted to exit the cell through the sides; where the
boundary conditions are not applied (lateral boundaries).

Constant pressure - A constant pressure chosen between highest and

lowest values of pressure that is applied to the entry and exit faces is used.

Linear Pressure - The pressure along the sides will vary linearly from the
higher pressure at one end of the cell (entry face) to lower pressure at the other end
of the cell (exit face). The Linear pressure option will permit fluid to exit through the
sides of the cell.

Periodic - If permeability is computed in the I direction, then J+ and J-

faces will share the same pressure and all fluid that goes out (or comes in) through
J+ will come in (or go out) from J-. The same goes for W+/W-.
How to Upscale fracture properties
Open the 'Scale up fracture network properties' process under Fracture
Modeling.
2.Drop in the 3D grid you are working on.
3.Drop in a fracture network made in the 'Create discrete fracture network'
process.
4.Select 'Create new properties' and make a name for the prefix; this will be
used to name the porosity, permeability and sigma factor output properties.
5.Select the Oda method or the Flow based upscaling method.
6.Press Apply.

How to use flow based upscaling to calibrate Oda

Upscale the fracture network using Oda.
2.Filter a small percentage of the cells to use in flow based upscaling. One
method is to create a random property using the calculator, Random = ran(0,1),
then filter on cells where this property is greater than 0.95. (I.e. you get 5% of
the cells).
3.Upscale the fracture network using flow based upscaling (make sure the filter
toggle is on).
4.Cross plot the Oda upscaled properties against the flow base upscaling
properties and check the relationship.
 Automatic Fault Extraction (Fault
analysis Module) could be used to
Extract Fractures Patches from Seismic