5.

Fault Modeling
In the previous section, we did some editing on the input data to bring it to a form
suitable to Petrel for building the 3D geological model. In this section we will start
building the model. The building process may be decomposed into the following
steps:

Defining a New Model,

Creating Faults from Fault Polygons,
Editing Key Pillars,
Building Key Pillars from Fault Polygons,
Connecting Faults,
Disconnecting Faults,
Creating Branched and Crossing Faults,
Creating Faults from Selected Fault Sticks,
Creating Faults from All Fault Sticks,
Automatic Generation of Faults,
Automatic Connection of Faults,
And Automatic Adjustment of Key Pillars.

5.1 Defining a New Model

Before building a 3D geological model in Petrel, it is necessary to define a model.
The new model only contains empty folders. When you begin generating Key Pillars,
they will be placed in one of these pre-defined folders. To create a new model, follow
these steps:

Double click on the Define Model item under the Structural Modeling in the
Process Diagram tab. A Define Model dialog box pops up, as shown in Fig.
5.1.
Give the model a specific name; e.g. HAH and click OK. The model will be
placed under the Models tab in the Petrel Explorer window, as shown in Fig.
5.2.

Fig. 5.1: The Define Model dialog box

50

Fig. 5.2: The HAH new model

5.2 Creating Faults from Fault Polygons

Fault polygons are line data representing the hanging-wall and footwall for each
horizon. The polygons could be separated into lines for each fault or lines for each
horizon. In the latter case, the lines should be separated with flags to make sure that
the same line dose not defines two faults. If there are no flags between the line data,
you should do some editing in the Make/Edit Polygons process in order to split the
lines.
To create faults from fault polygons, follow the steps:

Go to Structural Modeling item in the Process Diagram tab,

Activate the Fault Modeling process in the Process Diagram by clicking on
it once and making it bold as shown by Fig. 5.3.

Fig. 5.3: The Fault Modeling process

Display the fault polygon files in the Fault Polygons folder in a 3D window,
as shown in Fig. 5.4.
Select the desired fault geometry from the Fault Model Option Tools toolbar.
In this case, a linear geometry is suitable, as shown in Fig. 5.4.

51

Fig. 5.4: Fault Polygons displayed in a 3D window while the Fault Model Options
and Fault Model Tools are displayed

In the Function bar, click on the Set Select/Pick Mode icon as shown below,

Open the setting for the fault model process by double clicking on the process
in the Process Diagram. Use the default settings as shown in Fig. 5.5.
However, the fault model should represent the input data properly. Note the
option to extend the Key Pillars above the given min point and below the
given max point of the input data. You can control how far Pillars are
extended.

52

Fig. 5.5: Fault Modeling with HAH/Fault model Settings dialog box

Back to Fault Modeling icon, a Fault Modeling with 'HAH/Fault Model'

dialog box will appear again, choose Settings, as shown in Fig. 5.6. Use the
default settings.

Fig. 5.6: Fault Modeling with 'HAH/Fault Model' dialog box

53

In the 3D window, select all fault polygons that describe one fault by clicking
on the fault polygons,
Click on the Create Faults from Fault Polygons icon in the Function bar to
generate Key Pillars along the selected polygons, as shown in Figs. 5.7, 5.8.
The new fault has been added under the Fault folder in the Models tab of
Petrel Explorer and is called Fault 1. You can change the name to a more
appropriate name by clicking twice on the Fault 1 and changing the name
under the info tab of the Settings window that pops up.

Fig 5.7: Fault Polygons displayed in a 3D window while Fault Model Action
(Pillars) Tools toolbar are displayed

54

Fig. 5.8: Fault Polygons displayed in a 3D window after create faults from polygon

Fig. 5.9: Fault Polygons displayed in a 3D window along with their surfaces
55

5.3 Editing Key Pillars

After you have created a fault you may want to do some fine-tuning on a specific
Key Pillar or on the whole fault. Petrel has the option to edit single Shape Points or
pillars as well as a selection of Shape Points or pillars. To select more than one, press
the Shift key as you make your selection. The Fault Modeling and hence editing of
Key Pillars is a very important step in making an accurate and reliable Petrel model.
The Key Pillars should describe the fault planes as defined by the input data. It is
possible to edit on a complete fault, a single Key Pillar or a shape point X, Y and Z
directions, which makes the editing on faults very flexible. Automatically constructed
Key Pillars are often malformed and often it is necessary to add new Pillars between
key pillars and to the end of a fault then modify their shape. You have to insert Key
Pillars between existing pillars when a faults shape contains more detail than the
existing Pillar spacing can represent. Use the tool for add Pillars to end of fault and
add pillar between. Editing of shape points and/or entire Key Pillars will be required
to more closely fit the input data. This editing may require adding more shape points
to the pillar to achieve the desired form. All Key Pillars in a fault dont necessarily
need the same number of shape points. See Fig. 5.10.
To edit key pillars, follow the steps:

Open a new 3D Window,

Display a few of the faults (Key Pillars) to be edited,
Toggle on the checkbox next to all of the faults in the Fault Model folder,
Display available input data to use as a guide and be sure that the fault
polygons or other data used to create the Pillars are visible in the 3D window,
Click on the Toggle fill icon to make it easier when editing the plane between
Key Pillars is filled with color, as shown in Fig. 5.11,

Fig. 5.10: Illustrative drawing to show horizons, fault planes, and key pillars

56

Fig. 5.11: Fault Polygons displayed in a 3D window while Fault Model

Action (Pillars) Tools toolbar is displayed

the tools used for moving points and lines in Petrel is the widget,
Knowing that select a Key Pillar by clicking on one of the shape points, the
widget will appear. It consists of a plane and a cylinder,
Click on the plane to turn it yellow and edit in a plane normal to the cylinder,
Click on the cylinder (so it turns yellow) to edit along the tangent of the
cylinder. Be sure that you are in the Set Select/Pick Mode [P] as shown
below,

Press the left mouse button on the widget and move the Key Pillar or the shape
point,
Make sure the Move Along Line Tangent Only tool is active. This tool limits
the movement to the tangent of the Key Pillar and it is a very intuitive way of
editing the Key Pillars, as shown below
See Fig. 5.12

57

To select only one shape point, make sure the Select Shape Points icon is
active, as shown below,

To select an entire Key Pillar make the Select Pillars icon active as shown
below. If you click on the line between Key Pillars, all shape points at that
level will be selected, as shown below

If you click on the line between Key Pillars while having the Select Pillars
icon active, all Key Pillars will be selected. To select only a few Key
Pillars/shape points, click on those that you want to select while pressing the
shift key,
Check that the fault model has the correct orientation by displaying the top
and base horizons. If not, edit them as described above.

Comment
When finished editing, the Key Pillars should have a smooth transition in Z from
Key Pillar to Key Pillar in a fault. The Key Pillars in the faults should extend above
the top of the top surface and below the base of the lowest surface.

58

Fig. 5.12: Editing Key Pillars

59

5.4 Building Key Pillars from Fault Polygons

The same steps of "Editing Key Pillars" are applied in this section. Anyhow do
not forget to de-select the active fault when creating a new one. Otherwise, the new
fault will be attached to the previous active one, see Fig. 5.12

5.5 Connecting Faults

If a fault is truncated by another fault in the horizontal direction, it must be
connected to that other fault. This means that a common Key Pillar between the two
faults must be defined. You can either use a Key Pillar that already exists and edit it
into a position so that it fits both fault planes, or you can add a new Key Pillar
between two existing Pillars and use that as the common/connected Key Pillar. All
faults intersecting each other in Petrel model must be properly connected! This is
important because the gridding process in Petrel will use the faults for guiding the
gridding lines. The faults which are unconnected are treated differently from the faults
which are connected. Furthermore, faults which are close together but unconnected
are likely to lead to problems in Pillar Gridding and Make Horizons. Petrel has an
automatic fault connection option which will connect all the simple branching and
crossing faults in a single operation. Use this option carefully and always QC the grid
afterwards. As connecting faults require some editing of the fault position, you will
normally have to edit the connection manually afterwards. Truncated faults will not
be handled by automatic connection.
To connect two faults, follow the steps:

Choose the two faults to be connected,

Zoom in on the area where the two faults are to be connected,
Select the two Key Pillars you want to connect using the Select/pick Mode
icon and the shift Key, as shown in Fig. 5.13,

60

Fig. 5.13: Two faults before connection

Click on the Connect Two Faults icon as shown below,

Define how you want to connect them when the Connect pillars dialog box
pops up as shown in Figs. 5.14 to 5.17.

Fig. 5.14: The Connect pillars dialog box

61

Fig. 5.15: Two faults connected to each other

Fig. 5.16: Another two faults before connection

62

Fig. 5.17: The two faults of Fig. 5.16 after connection

5.6 Disconnecting Faults

The undo button does not work for connected Key Pillars. You will have to
disconnect them instead.
To disconnect faults, follow the steps:

Select the two Key Pillars that should be disconnected. See Fig. 5.18
Click on the Disconnect Fault icon. See Fig. 5.19

63

Fig. 5.18: Two faults before disconnection

Fig. 5.19: Two faults after disconnection

64

5.7 Creating Branched and Crossing Faults

To create branched and crossing faults, follow the steps:

Select the Key Pillar where you want the crossing or branching fault to be
initiated from, as shown in Fig. 5.20
Click on either the New Branched Fault icon or the New Crossing Fault
icon to generate a new fault, as shown in Figs. 5.21, 5.22

Fig. 5.20: A fault displayed in a 3D window before creating Branched or Crossing

faults

65

Fig. 5.21: A fault displayed in a 3D window after creating Branched fault

Fig. 5.22: A fault displayed in a 3D window after creating Crossing fault

66

5.8 Creating Faults from Selected Fault Sticks

Fault sticks can be used like fault polygons to create Key Pillars. Fault sticks are
sets of line data that represent the fault plane. The file with fault sticks can represent
one fault are a set of faults and are generated in Petrel or another work station. These
sticks represent the fault surface and are converted to Key Pillars. This method is
preferable if you have fault interpretations that may contain a bit of noise and you
would like to have the option to disregard some of it.
To create faults from selected fault sticks, follow the steps:

Turn off all of the faults, fault polygons and any other data you may have
displayed in your 3D window.
From the Input Tab display the fault sticks in the For Create from selected FS
folder. See Fig. 5.23.

Fig. 5.23: Fault Sticks displayed in a 3D window

67

Select Vertical, Linear, Listric or Curved Pillars depending on the type of fault
you are modeling. Either linear or listric fault geometries will be fine but examine
the fault sticks before you choose. See Fig. 5.24

Fig. 5.24: Linear fault sticks displayed in a 3D window while the Fault Model
Options Tools are shown

Click on the Set Select/Pick Mode [P] icon in the Function bar. See Fig. 5.25

Fig. 5.25: Linear fault sticks displayed in a 3D window while the Fault Model Tools
are shown
68

Select some of the fault sticks on a fault by clicking on the fault stick and holding
the Shift Key. See Fig. 5.26

Fig. 5.26: Selecting fault sticks

Click on the Add to or Create Fault from Selected Fault Sticks icon in the
Function bar to generate Key Pillars along the selected fault sticks. See Fig. 5.27.
Notice that by choosing this method, a fault will only be generated that connects
the sticks that you selected. This could cause you to potentially lose some
important detail.

69

Fig. 5.27: The Key Pillars for fault sticks created as a model

Once you have created the Key Pillars for a new fault, do the necessary editing
and follow the procedure as described in the exercises above.
Connect the faults where necessary. See Figs. 5.28 to 5.30.
Continue modeling all the faults in the folder. See Fig. 5.31.

70

Fig. 5.28: The two faults before connection

Fig. 5.29: Connect pillars dialog box

71

Fig. 5.30: The two faults after connection

Fig. 5.31: All faults created as a model

72

5.9 Creating Faults from All Fault Sticks

It possible to select the entire set of fault sticks representing one fault and make
Petrel use every nth fault stick as input. This is a fast approach but it requires that the
fault stick are representative of the fault, i.e. do not contain lots of noise.
To create faults from all fault sticks, follow the steps:

From the Input Tab display the fault sticks in the For Create from
selected FS folder. See Fig. 5.23.
Select Vertical, Linear, Listric or Curved Pillars depending on the type of
fault you are modeling. Either linear or listric fault geometries will be fine
but examine the fault sticks before you choose. See Fig. 5.24.
Click on the Set Select/Pick Mode [P] icon in the Function bar. See Fig.
5.25.
Select all of the fault sticks on a fault by clicking on the fault stick and
holding the Shift Key. See Fig. 5.26.
Click on the Create Fault from Fault Sticks, Surface or Interpretation
icon in the Function bar to generate Key Pillars along the selected fault.
See Fig. 5.32.
Repeat the same process to the other faults. See Fig. 5.33
Once you have created the Key Pillars for a new fault, do the necessary
editing by following the steps as described in the exercises above.
Connect the faults where necessary and continue modeling the faults in the
folder.

73

Fig. 5.32: Fault sticks displayed in a 3D window while the Fault Model Action
(Pillars) toolbar is displayed

Fig. 5.33: The Key Pillars for fault sticks created

74

5.10 Automatic Generation of Faults

So far the faults have been generated one by one. In this exercise you will learn
how to automatically create Key Pillars from sets of fault sticks in a folder in the
Petrel Explorer Input tab.
To create automatic generation of faults, follow the steps:

Active the Fault Modeling from Process Diagram

Convert one set of fault sticks to Key Pillars:
a. In Petrel Explorer find the fault sticks folder. Open the folder and right
click on one of the fault sticks. Select Convert to Faults in Fault
Model from the pull-down menu. See Fig. 5.34.

Fig. 5.34: The fault sticks before the conversion process displayed in a 3D window

75

b. A dialog box will be pops up as shown in Fig. 5.35.

Fig. 5.35: Convert to Fault in the active Fault Modeling dialog box

c. Note the new fault in the 3D window and under the Fault Model folder in
the model (in the Models tab). See Fig. 5.36

Fig. 5.36: A new fault under the Fault Model folder after the conversion process
displayed in a 3D window
76

This operation can be performed for all fault sticks in a folder:

a. To avoid double sets of faults, delete the fault created above by selecting
the whole fault in the 3D window or selecting it (making it bold) in the
models tab of Petrel Explorer and then pressing delete.
b. Right click on the folder called Fault Sticks. Select Convert to Faults in
Fault Model from the appearing pull-down menu. See Fig. 5.37.

Fig. 5.37: All faults sticks before conversion displayed in a 3D window

77

c. All new faults will be added under the Fault Model folder in the model (in
the Models tab). See Fig. 5.38.
Continue doing the necessary editing of Key Pillars as described above.
Connect faults where necessary.

Fig. 5.38: All faults sticks after conversion displayed in a 3D window

78

5.11 Automatic Connection of Faults

It is possible to connect the faults automatically in Petrel.
To create automatic connection of faults, fallow the steps:

Display all the faults you have created in a 3D window. See Fig. 5.38
Click on the Fault Modeling in the Process Diagram.
Go to the Operations tab. See Fig 5.39.
Click on the Auto connect button and use an Extent distance of 250m and do the
automatic fault connection only for the visible faults. See Fig. 5.40.
Check the connections and do manual editing if necessary.

Fig. 5.39: Two fault sticks displayed before auto connection while the Fault
Modeling dialog box is displayed

79

Fig. 5.40: Two fault sticks displayed after auto connection while the Fault Modeling
dialog box is displayed

80

5.12 Automatic Adjustment of Key Pillars

It is possible to adjust all the Key Pillars automatically by cuffing them or
extending them relative to a surface or a constant value. Since it is possible to edit all
the Key Pillars manually, and since manual editing will always be necessary, the
automatic trimming of Key Pillars functionality has been included as an optional
exercise only. If the Key Pillars are trimmed by a surface then this surface should be
smooth. In the case of the HAH project, the Base Cretaceous surface is a good
candidate to be used for trimming since this is a non-faulted surface. In the exercise
below only the top Shape Points will be trimmed. If the base Shape Points should be
trimmed as well, then a copy could be made of Top Etive surface, then this copied
surface could be smoothed to remove most of the structure (but keep the general dip)
and shifted downwards so that it is deeper than the entire Top Etive surface.
To create automatic adjustment of key pillars, follow the steps:

Display all the generated Key Pillars together with the Base Cretaceous
surface.
Double click on the Fault Modeling process (in the Process diagram).
Go to the Operations tab from the dialog box that pops up. See Fig. 5.41.
Select the Base Cretaceous surface in the Petrel Explorer Input tab (click on
the name to make it bold), toggle on the checkbox next to Top limit in the
Operations tab under Cut/Extend pillars and click on the blue arrow. Fill in
the other options as the figure shows.
Click on the Cut/Extend button. See Fig. 5.42.
Observe that all the Key Pillars will be cut by or extended to the Base
Cretaceous level, generating smooth transitions between Key Pillars. See Fig.
5.43.

Fig. 5.41: Fault Modeling dialog box

81

Fig. 5.42: The Base Cretaceous and Fault Model displayed in a 3D window
before Key Pillar Operations

Fig 5.43: The Base Cretaceous and Fault Model displayed in a 3D window after
Key Pillar Operations

82