Generalized multiscale multicontinuum model for fractured vuggy carbonate reservoirs

Simulating flow in a highly heterogeneous reservoir with multiscale characteristics is computationally demanding. To tackle this problem, we propose a numerical scheme based on the Generalized Multiscale Finite Element Method (GMsFEM) and a triple-continuum model. The aim is to obtain a more efficient numerical approach that can explicitly represent the interactions among different continua. To enhance the applicability of our proposed model, we combine the Discrete Fracture Model (DFM) to model the local effects of discrete fractures. In the proposed model, the GMsFEM, as an advanced model reduction technique, enables capturing the multiscale flow dynamics. This is accomplished by systematically generating an approximation space through solving a series of local snapshot and spectral problems. The resulting eigenfunctions can pass the local features to the global level when acting as basis functions in the global coarse problems. Our goal in this paper is to further improve the accuracy of flow simulation in complicated reservoirs especially for the case when multiple discrete fractures located in single coarse neighborhood. Several numerical experiments are conducted to confirm the success of our proposed method, and a rigorous convergence proof is also given. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.