This volume highlights key challenges for fluid-flow prediction in carbonate reservoirs, the approaches currently employed to address these challenges and developments in fundamental science and technology. The papers span methods and case studies that highlight workflows and emerging technologies in the fields of geology, geophysics, petrophysics, reservoir modelling and computer science. Topics include: detailed pore-scale studies that explore fundamental processes and applications of imaging and flow modelling at the pore scale; case studies of diagenetic processes with complementary perspectives from reactive transport modelling; novel methods for rock typing; petrophysical studies that investigate the impact of diagenesis and fault-rock properties on acoustic signatures; mechanical modelling and seismic imaging of faults in carbonate rocks; modelling geological influences on seismic anisotropy; novel approaches to geological modelling; methods to represent key geological details in reservoir simulations and advances in computer visualization, analytics and interactions for geoscience and engineering.

Reservoir quality is studied using a wide range of similar techniques in both sandstones and carbonates. Sandstone and carbonate reservoir quality both benefit from the study of modern analogues and experiments, but modelling approaches are currently quite different for these two types of reservoirs. There are many common controls on sandstone and carbonate reservoir quality, but also distinct differences due primarily to mineralogy. Numerous controversies remain including the question of oil inhibition, the key control on pressure solution and geochemical flux of material to or from reservoirs. This collection of papers contains case-study-based examples of sandstone and carbonate reservoir quality prediction as well as modern analogue, outcrop analogue, modelling and advanced analytical approaches.

This RiMG (Reviews in Mineralogy & Geochemistry) volume includes contributions that review experimental, characterization, and modeling advances in our understanding of pore-scale geochemical processes. The volume had its origins in a special theme session at the 2015 Goldschmidt Conference in Prague. From a diversity of pore-scale topics that ranged from multi-scale characterization to modeling, this work summarizes the state-of-the-science in this subject. Topics include: modification of thermodynamics and kinetics in small pores. chemo-mechanical processes and how they affect porosity evolution in geological media. small angle neutron scattering (SANS) techniques. how isotopic gradients across fluid–mineral boundaries can develop and how these provide insight into pore-scale processes. Information on an important class of models referred to as "pore network" and much more. The material in this book is accessible for graduate students, researchers, and professionals in the earth, material, environmental, hydrological, and biological sciences. The pore scale is readily recognizable to geochemists, and yet in the past it has not received a great deal of attention as a distinct scale or environment that is associated with its own set of questions and challenges. Is the pore scale merely an environment in which smaller scale (molecular) processes aggregate, or are there emergent phenomena unique to this scale? Is it simply a finer-grained version of the "continuum" scale that is addressed in larger-scale models and interpretations? The scale is important because it accounts for the pore architecture within which such diverse processes as multi-mineral reaction networks, microbial community interaction, and transport play out, giving rise to new geochemical behavior that might not be understood or predicted by considering smaller or larger scales alone.

This book illustrates the diversity of hypogene speleogenetic processes and void-conduit patterns depending on variations of the geological environments by presenting regional and cave-specific case studies. The cases include both well-known and newly recognized hypogene karst regions and caves of the world. They all focus on geological, hydrogeological, geodynamical and evolutionary contexts of hypogene speleogenesis. The last decade has witnessed the boost in recognition of the possibility, global occurrence, and practical importance of hypogene karstification (speleogenesis), i.e. the development of solutional porosity and permeability by upwelling flow, independent of recharge from the overlying or immediately adjacent surface. Hypogene karst has been identified and documented in many regions where it was previously overlooked or misinterpreted. The book enriches the basis for generalization and categorization of hypogene karst and thus improves our ability to adequately model hypogene karstification and predict related porosity and permeability. It is a book which benefits every researcher, student, and practitioner dealing with karst.

Modern seismic data have become an essential toolkit for studying carbonate platforms and reservoirs in impressive detail. Whilst driven primarily by oil and gas exploration and development, data sharing and collaboration are delivering fundamental geological knowledge on carbonate systems, revealing platform geomorphologies and how their evolution on millennial time scales, as well as kilometric length scales, was forced by long-term eustatic, oceanographic or tectonic factors. Quantitative interrogation of modern seismic attributes in carbonate reservoirs permits flow units and barriers arising from depositional and diagenetic processes to be imaged and extrapolated between wells. This volume reviews the variety of carbonate platform and reservoir characteristics that can be interpreted from modern seismic data, illustrating the benefits of creative interaction between geophysical and carbonate geological experts at all stages of a seismic campaign. Papers cover carbonate exploration, including the uniquely challenging South Atlantic pre-salt reservoirs, seismic modelling of carbonates, and seismic indicators of fluid flow and diagenesis.

Science of Carbon Storage in Deep Saline Formations: Process Coupling across Time and Spatial Scales summarizes state-of-the-art research, emphasizing how the coupling of physical and chemical processes as subsurface systems re-equilibrate during and after the injection of CO2. In addition, it addresses, in an easy-to-follow way, the lack of knowledge in understanding the coupled processes related to fluid flow, geomechanics and geochemistry over time and spatial scales. The book uniquely highlights process coupling and process interplay across time and spatial scales that are relevant to geological carbon storage. - Includes the underlying scientific research, as well as the risks associated with geological carbon storage - Covers the topic of geological carbon storage from various disciplines, addressing the multi-scale and multi-physics aspects of geological carbon storage - Organized by discipline for ease of navigation

This book presents and describes an innovative method to simulate the growth of natural fractural networks in different geological environments, based on their geological history and fundamental geomechanical principles. The book develops techniques to simulate the growth and interaction of large populations of layer-bound fracture directly, based on linear elastic fracture mechanics and subcritical propagation theory. It demonstrates how to use these techniques to model the nucleation, propagation and interaction of layer-bound fractures in different orientations around large scale geological structures, based on the geological history of the structures. It also explains how to use these techniques to build more accurate discrete fracture network (DFN) models at a reasonable computational cost. These models can explain many of the properties of natural fracture networks observed in outcrops, using actual outcrop examples. Finally, the book demonstrates how it can be incorporated into flow modelling workflows using subsurface examples from the hydrocarbon and geothermal industries. Modelling the Evolution of Natural Fracture Networks will be of interest to anyone curious about understanding and predicting the evolution of complex natural fracture networks across large geological structures. It will be helpful to those modelling fluid flow through fractures, or the geomechanical impact of fracture networks, in the hydrocarbon, geothermal, CO2 sequestration, groundwater and engineering industries.

Principles is the first volume of the five-volume set Rock Mechanics and Engineering and contains twenty-four chapters from key experts in the following fields: - Discontinuities; - Anisotropy; - Rock Stress; - Geophysics; - Strength Criteria; - Modeling Rock Deformation and Failure. The five-volume set “Comprehensive Rock Engineering”, which was published in 1993, has had an important influence on the development of rock mechanics and rock engineering. Significant and extensive advances and achievements in these fields over the last 20 years now justify the publishing of a comparable, new compilation. Rock Mechanics and Engineering represents a highly prestigious, multi-volume work edited by Professor Xia-Ting Feng, with the editorial advice of Professor John A. Hudson. This new compilation offers an extremely wideranging and comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in rock mechanics and rock engineering and is composed of peer-reviewed, dedicated contributions by all the key experts worldwide. Key features of this set are that it provides a systematic, global summary of new developments in rock mechanics and rock engineering practices as well as looking ahead to future developments in the fields. Contributors are worldrenowned experts in the fields of rock mechanics and rock engineering, though younger, talented researchers have also been included. The individual volumes cover an extremely wide array of topics grouped under five overarching themes: Principles (Vol. 1), Laboratory and Field Testing (Vol. 2), Analysis, Modelling and Design (Vol. 3), Excavation, Support and Monitoring (Vol. 4) and Surface and Underground Projects (Vol. 5). This multi-volume work sets a new standard for rock mechanics and engineering compendia and will be the go-to resource for all engineering professionals and academics involved in rock mechanics and engineering for years to come.

This edited volume is based on the best papers accepted for presentation during the 1st Springer Conference of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences (CAJG-1), Tunisia 2018. The book is of interest to all researchers in the fields of Structural Geology, Stratigraphy, Ore Deposits, Regional Tectonics and Tectonic Modelling. This volume offers an overview of multidisciplinary studies on the broader Africa-Eurasia geology. Main topics include: 1. Basement Geology2. Fluid-rock interaction, hydrothermalism and ore deposits3. Reservoir geology, structure and stratigraphy4. Mediterranean Tectonics5. The Alpine-Himalayan convergence zone6. Tectonic Modelling

In the current cost-constrained environment for hydrocarbon exploitation, increasing emphasis is being placed on robust subsurface description and a clear understanding of the range of uncertainty associated with reservoir models. Structural heterogeneity, particularly at the subseismic scale, forms an integral part of these refined descriptions as it allows greater prediction of subsurface flow characteristics. This volume examines the best current practice and new challenges in hydrocarbon reservoir characterization and modelling of small to subseismic deformation features through case studies, experimental results and modelling. The papers follow four themes: characterization of deformation in porous sandstones, novel characterization techniques, quantifying and characterizing deformation in carbonates, and modelling small-scale features. It includes a collection of papers from a two-day international conference that brought academic and industry geoscientists and engineers together to discuss best current practice and new challenges in reservoir characterization and modelling of small to subseismic deformation features. The volume should be of interest to geoscientists, petrophysicists, reservoir engineers and modellers.