Application of Generalized Multiscale Finite-Element Method (GMsFEM) for Seismic Wavefield Simulation in Geological Models with Fluid-Solid Interface

Abstract

Numerical simulation of seismic wave propagation is widely employed to characterize petroleum reservoirs and complex geological structures. Conventional numerical wave equation simulation methods can become prohibitively expensive for large geological models. The recently developed Generalized Multiscale Finite Element Method (GMsFEM) is a method that can accurately approximate the solutions of various kinds of partial differential equations. Applications of the GMsFEM in elastic wavefield simulation have been demonstrated to be a promising method to reduce computational cost. However, it is still a challenge to apply GMsFEM to accurately simulate the wavefield with rough and complex boundary. In the research, we will try to investigate the accuracy and possible improvements of GMsFEM for elastic wave equation simulation at irregular salt boundary. The results of seismic wave propagation will be compared with reference solutions obtained from finite-difference methods (FDM), along with quantitative analysis on possible differences. These analyses on the performance of GMsFEM at heterogenous solid layers with irregular boundary can benefit further applications of GMsFEM for more complex real world scenarios, such as the wave propagation in reservoirs in Gulf of Mexico.