An integrated 3D digital model of stratigraphy, petrophysics and karstified fracture network for the Cristal Cave, NE-Brazil

Abstract

Digital Outcrop Models (DOMs) are virtual representations of geological features. Although DOMs are widely used tools in geosciences, their integration with other datasets remains relatively underexplored. We combined a DOM, derived from a photogrammetric survey of a carbonate sequence, with lithostratigraphic, petrophysical (porosity, permeability and uniaxial compressive strength), fracture distribution, and karst dissolution information to compose a single integrated three-dimensional digital model. The study site is one of the entrances of the Cristal Cave (São Francisco Craton, Northeastern Brazil), which has been used as a structural and diagenetic outcrop analog for the Brazilian pre-salt carbonate reservoirs. Data from fracture distributions, measured on the exposed surfaces of the cave, were used to build a Discrete Fracture Network, based on the solution of the stereology inverse problem. Fracture apertures were then modified to generate different scenarios of karstification, thus composing Discrete Fracture and Karst Networks. This integrative approach brought relevant insights into the cave development due to dissolution along fracture clusters. Our methodology offers better geological data handling to build static models to be used in a fluid flow modeling environment, contributing to bridge the gap between geophysics/geology and engineering approaches.