Computational Environments for Coupling Multiphase Flow, Transport, and Mechanics in Porous Media

Abstract

Cost-effective management of remediation of contamination sites and carbon sequestration in deep saline aquifers is driving development of a new generation of subsurface simulators. The central challenge is to minimize costs of cleanup and/or maximize economic benefit from an environment whose properties are only poorly known and in which a variety of complex chemical and physical phenomena take place. In order to address this challenge a robust reservoir simulator comprised of coupled programs that together account for multicomponent, multiscale, multiphase flow and transport through porous media and through wells and that incorporate uncertainty and include robust solvers is required. The coupled programs must be able to treat different physical processes occurring simultaneously in different parts of the domain, and for computational accuracy and efficiency, should also accomodate multiple numerical schemes. In addition, this problem solving environment or framework must have parameter estimation and optimal control capabilities. We present a “wish list” for simulator capabilities as well as describe the methodology employed in the IPARS software being developed at The University of Texas at Austin. This work also involves a close cooperation on middleware for multiphysics couplings and interactive steering with Parashar at Rutgers University.