Coupled modelling of stress and fluid flow, with applications to gas extraction and disposal of energy residues

Coupled flow-stress numerical models have been increasingly used in geomechanical studies for a better understanding and more accurate prediction of subsurface behaviour due to the extraction of hydrocarbons and geological storage of energy residues. Two application studies are described demonstrating various ways of integration of the flow models with the stress models. The first study describes one-directional coupling, in which the stress evolution depends on the pressure evolution, but not vice versa. This approach, generally suitable to model flow-driven stress changes, was used to study the relationship between reservoir depletion and possible fault reactivation, which causes induced microseismicity in the study area. The second case study describes two-directional coupling between the flow model and the stress model, which is an appropriate way to model load-driven flow in the subsurface. A fully coupled flow-stress analysis was conducted to analyse combined load- and hydraulic-driven groundwater flow for safety assessment of a geological disposal site. Presented cases demonstrate that increasingly complex coupled flow-stress modelling, with conventional modelling tools, has become feasible in engineering practice. © 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved