NUMERICAL TREATMENT OF HYDROMECHANICAL COUPLING IN POROUS MEDIA WITH VUGULAR FEATURES USING A SINGLE-DOMAIN APPROACH

Rock formations with high heterogeneity, such as carbonates with vugs, are
challenging for reservoir engineering due to the coexistence of porous media and free-flow
regions. This study explores the Single-Domain Approach (SDA) as a robust alternative
to traditional interface-based models, Two-Domain Approach (TDA). We propose a unified
numerical framework using the Element-based Finite Volume Method (EbFVM) to solve
the hydromechanical coupling. An innovative pseudo-rock treatment is developed for the
vug region, combined with the Brinkman equation for fluid flow. To ensure numerical
stability, a Physical Influence Scheme (PIS) is implemented. Results for a circular mimetic
vug demonstrate that the SDA effectively captures the coupled physics, providing stable
pressure and displacement fields.