What is 3D modeling?

A three-dimensional model is a polygonal representation of an object, which is usually displayed by a computer or other video equipment. The displayed objects can be real-world entities or virtual objects. Anything that exists in the physical nature can be represented by a three-dimensional model. Looking back on the role of geological modeling in oilfield development, we can find that the current three-dimensional modeling has two main functions: one is to provide a basic model for numerical simulation, and the other is to evaluate the whole reservoir, such as the risk evaluation of reservoir exploration and development. But three-dimensional modeling has not been able to go deep into the production of oil fields.

Technical introduction

At present, there is no very effective and advanced technology in the geological research of oilfield development. The study of reservoir geology also mainly relies on manual thickness map, reservoir profile map and connectivity map. It is very necessary to supplement and improve new technologies. In the geological research work in the whole development stage, the only technology that can be called a new technology is 3D modeling. Therefore, three-dimensional modeling can play a more prominent role in geological research in the development stage. In fact, three-dimensional modeling should and can become the core technology of reservoir fine description and production measures deployment in reservoir development stage.

Now, three-dimensional models have been applied in various fields. Use them to make accurate models of organs in the medical industry; The film industry uses them to move people, objects and real movies; The video game industry regards them as resources in computers and video games; They are used as accurate models of compounds in the scientific field; The construction industry uses them to show the proposed buildings or landscape performances; They are used in engineering to design new equipment, vehicles, structures and other application fields. In recent decades, a three-dimensional geological model has been established in the field of earth science.

Development history

Since Martron introduced geostatistics into geological research in 1950s, geostatistics has become the core of geological modeling. However, decades of practical application also shows that it is impossible to introduce 3D modeling into oilfield development and production by simply relying on geostatistics.

How to give full play to the role of 3D modeling technology and truly make it the core technology of reservoir fine description and production measures deployment in the reservoir development stage is a problem that everyone engaged in 3D modeling must constantly ponder.

Strictly speaking, 3D modeling is not a very new technology. In foreign countries, geological modeling has been developed for decades, and it has been developed for almost twenty years since the introduction of EsrthVision in China in the late 1980s.