Fast Marching and Level Set Methods in Geological Modelling

Since 2005, Kalkulo has collaborated closely with Statoil (formerly Hydro) and Simula Research Laboratory, developing the mathematical kernel in the Compound Modeling (CM) technology for construction and maintenance of advanced geological models. CM is fr equently used in Statoil's own research and production groups. Kalkulo and Statoil plan a continued collaboration over several years to come. The work on CM has generated a number of fundamental research questions suitable for a PhD study. Tor Gillberg h as a MSc degree from Lunds University, and started recently as a trainee in Kalkulo. Kalkulo wants Gillberg to conduct fundamental research on the mathematical and numerical components in CM. As a result, one expects both Gillberg and Kalkulo to build com petence that is vital to the collaboration with Statoil and important in a more general context. In his PhD project, Gillberg will experiment and analyze fast marching and level set methods in use in CM. These methods have a much wider applicability tha n geological modeling, and the results corresponding to the goals stated above will be of general interest to the research community. In the oil and gas industry, several specialized analyses are conducted. Although the chain of analyses builds up to on e single conclusion, whether to drill or not, each step is traditionally only marginally aware of the other steps. Shared earth models, of which CM is an example, tries to improve data sharing and consistency across these steps. CM views the dynamics of inner Earth as a sequence of geological time events placed along a geological timeline. The resulting model can represent geological structures of high complexity including intricate relationships between horizons, faults and physical installations like w ells. Advanced use of fast marching methods are at the heart of CM, and the PhD study of these methods is expected to provide the basis for future major technological improvements.