On: “3-D traveltime compuation using the fast marching method” (J. A. Sethian and A. M. Popovici, GEOPHYSICS, 64, 516–523).

Geophysics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 682-682
Author(s):  
Fuhao Qin

The Sethian and Popovici paper “3-D traveltime computation using the fast marching method” that appeared in Geophysics, Vol. 64, 516–523, discussed a method to solve the eikonal equation for first arrival traveltimes which was called the “fast marching” method. The method, as the authors demonstrated, is very fast and stable. However, their method is very similar to the method discussed by F. Qin et al. (1992), entitled “Finite difference solution of the eikonal equation along expanding wavefronts,” Geophysics, Vol. 57, 478–487. F. Qin et al. first proposed the “expanding wavefront” method for solving eikonal equation in the 60th Ann. Internat. Mtg. of the SEG in 1990.

Geophysics ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 632-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shunhua Cao ◽  
Stewart Greenhalgh

First‐break traveltimes can be accurately computed by the finite‐difference solution of the eikonal equation using a new corner‐node discretization scheme. It offers accuracy advantages over the traditional cell‐centered node scheme. A substantial efficiency improvement is achieved by the incorporation of a wavefront tracking algorithm based on the construction of a minimum traveltime tree. For the traditional discretization scheme, an accurate average value for the local squared slowness is found to be crucial in stabilizing the numerical scheme for models with large slowness contrasts. An improved method based on the traditional discretization scheme can be used to calculate traveltimes in arbitrarily varying velocity models, but the method based on the corner‐node discretization scheme provides a much better solution.


SPE Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Hongquan Chen ◽  
Tsubasa Onishi ◽  
Jaeyoung Park ◽  
Akhil Datta-Gupta

Summary Diffusive-time-of-flight (DTOF), representing the travel time of pressure front propagation, has found many applications in unconventional reservoir performance analysis. The computation of DTOF typically involves upwind finite difference of the Eikonal equation and solution using the fast-marching method (FMM). However, the application of the finite difference-based FMM to irregular grid systems remains a challenge. In this paper, we present a novel and robust method for solving the Eikonal equation using finite volume discretization and the FMM. The implementation is first validated with analytical solutions using isotropic and anisotropic models with homogeneous reservoir properties. Consistent DTOF distributions are obtained between the proposed approach and the analytical solutions. Next, the implementation is applied to unconventional reservoirs with hydraulic and natural fractures. Our approach relies on cell volumes and connections (transmissibilities) rather than the grid geometry, and thus can be easily applied to complex grid systems. For illustrative purposes, we present applications of the proposed method to embedded discrete fracture models (EDFMs), dual-porositydual-permeability models (DPDK), and unstructured perpendicular-bisectional (PEBI) grids with heterogeneous reservoir properties. Visualization of the DTOF provides flow diagnostics, such as evolution of the drainage volume of the wells and well interactions. The novelty of the proposed approach is its broad applicability to arbitrary grid systems and ease of implementation in commercial reservoir simulators. This makes the approach well-suited for field applications with complex grid geometry and complex well architecture.


Geophysics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 1225-1231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seongjai Kim

The article is concerned with the development and comparison of three different algorithms for the computation of first‐arrival traveltimes: the fast marching method (FMM), the group marching method (GMM), and a second‐order finite‐difference eikonal solver. GMM is introduced as a variant of FMM. It proceeds the solution by advancing a selected group of grid points at a time, rather than sorting the solution in the narrow band to march forward a single grid point. The second‐order eikonal solver studied in the article is an expanding‐box, essentially nonoscillatory scheme for which the stability is enforced by the introduction of a down ‘n’ out marching and a post‐sweeping iteration. Techniques such as the maximum angle condition, the average normal velocity, and cache‐based implementation are introduced for the algorithms to improve the numerical accuracy and efficiency. The algorithms are implemented for solving the eikonal equation in 3‐D isotropic media, and their performances are compared. GMM is numerically verified to be faster than FMM. However, the second‐order algorithm turns out to be superior to these first‐order level‐set methods in both accuracy and efficiency; the incorporation of average normal velocity improves accuracy dramatically for the second‐order scheme.


2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (05) ◽  
pp. 425-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
TETSUSHI NISHIDA ◽  
KOKICHI SUGIHARA

A new generalized Voronoi diagram, called a boat-sail Voronoi diagram, is defined on the basis of the time necessary for a boat to reach on water surface with flow. A new concept called a boat-sail distance is introduced on the surface of water with flow, and it is used to define a generalized Voronoi diagram, in such a way that the water surface is partitioned into regions belonging to the nearest harbors with respect to this distance. The problem of computing this Voronoi diagram is reduced to a boundary value problem of a partial differential equation, and a numerical method for solving this problem is constructed. The method is a modification of a so-called fast marching method originally proposed for the eikonal equation. Computational experiments show the efficiency and the stableness of the proposal method. We also apply our equation to the shortest path problem and the simulation of the forest fire.


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