Subsurface reservoirs used for CO2 and hydrogen storage, to deliver geothermal energy and for energy storage, and that supply potable water, typically contain an array of complex geological heterogeneities with uncertain geometry and spatial distribution. These heterogeneities may be structural, stratigraphic, sedimentologic and/or diagenetic on origin, and typically impact flow behaviour and sustainable use of subsurface resources; hence, they must be captured in reservoir models.

Constructing or refining complex reservoir models is a challenging, time-consuming task, with a high degree of uncertainty. The lack of an intuitive set of modelling, simulation and visualization tools that support expert interpretation from geophysicists, geologists and reservoir engineers significantly increases the challenge. A particular limitation is the lack of software that allows conceptual models to be rapidly created, using a simple, intuitive interface, and then interrogated for key reservoir properties and behaviours.

This research project is developing new methods for rapid reservoir modelling (RRM) to prototype complex reservoir models, by means of novel, interactive, sketch-based interface and modelling techniques, exploratory visualization, and rapid numerical analysis.  The new methods are implemented in open-source code.