Fluid Flow Analysis in Fractured Rock Mass by Data Integration of Digital Outcrop Model and Discrete Fracture Network (DFN)

Fracture characterization is crucial to constrain a realistic subsurface reservoir model. They are key elements, affecting fluid flow, permeability and consequently recovery factor and productivity. Considering a proper assessment of fracture network from subsurface investigation is often difficult; in recent years, the application of Digital Photogrammetry (DP) has become popular for fracture network characterization. In this paper, we combined DP and Discrete Fracture Network modeling (DFN) to assess the fluid circulation analysis of the Monte Antola Formation (Northern Apennines, Italy). Thanks to the application of DP, it is possible to reconstruct Digital Outcrop Models (DOMs) and acquire high-precision fracture measurements such as size, location, and orientation. Utilizing quantitative measurements, we performed DFNs to simulate rock mass permeability. The primary findings from the DFNs indicate that fluid circulation is primarily influenced by (1) regions with a high density of fractures, which are associated with the primary structural features observed throughout the study area, and (2) locally, by the orientation of the dominant and persistent fracture set. The proposed approach highlights the importance of the use of DOMs for better reconstruction of the fracture network and defining an important number of relevant parameters; such quantitative information remarkably improves the reliability of DFNs.